Sinch In Time
by Blade Redwind
Summary: Six years pass. Jiraiya & Naruto left Leaf. Sasuke & Kakashi left too. Sakura's been working with Tsunade. Paths cross as the men return. And somehow the three ninja find themselves hurled twenty years in the past. Summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** _Six years have passed since the Chuunin Exam and everyone has of course grown up quite a bit. Sasuke overcame his fears and never left for Sound. He never received the cursed seal. Naruto left on his journey with Jiraiya so he could prepare for the Akatsuki. Sasuke left with Kakashi to refine his skills and prepare for the fight against his brother._

_In the meantime, Sakura has been left alone with Tsunade to study and become a great medical nin like her shishou. Though she has not surpassed her in skill, Tsunade has taught her everything she knows. Currently, Sakura works along Shizune as a codirector in the hospital._

_Kakashi and Jiraiya's paths have crossed and both Sasuke and Naruto have been working together to find information on Itachi and the Akatsuki. They are on their way back to Konoha to collect the team mate they left behind and finally achieve the peace of mind all three of them require to move on in life._

_On their way home something... odd happens in Konoha. A large electric beacon of energy the color of black and blue sudden manifests itself in the Valley of End. Tsunade has sent Shikamaru and Temari to scout it out to determine what exactly it is. The question remains... what will this oddity mean for our three heroes? And what does it have to do with the changes of time?_

**..Chapter One..**

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_Hartdegen: My question is why can't one change the past?_

_Vox: Because one cannot travel *into* the past._

_The Time Machine (2002)_

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_Her hand was clutching his, she cried, tears running down her face. He could feel the enemy coming. Sounds electrified the air. Smells killed his senses. Blood mixed with sweat, sweat mixed with tears. He'd learned a lot that day. And from the least likely source; at the most painful of sacrifices._

_They were going to lose Obito._

_He blinked a few times, growing accustomed to the eye. A gift... given to him, to an unworthy comrade by one of the greatest men he knew. They were just kids. He was only twelve and still trying to sort out his life in this mass of bloodshed and pointless destruction._

_"Obito..." Rin whispered, his mind going hazy._

_If he'd only thought this through, if he'd only been sooner; then half of his best friend's body wouldn't be crushed under some waste of a rock. He couldn't even see the other half of his face. He knew it was imply hidden in the shadows of the bolder. So much blood... how much of him was ruined beneath?_

_He felt them coming and he knew his time was limited. He jumped up into the opening of the cavern created by the Rock nin. He reached for Rin. "Rin!"_

_She didn't want to move, he could see that. and it finally took Obito telling her to go for her to take his hand. The last thing he remembered was fighting for his life with the Sharingan and flinging the kunai sensei gave him at the enemy..._

_..._

Kakashi woke with a start, sweat trailing down his body. His one good eye not covered by the headband was wide with fright and pain. The night air pricked at his senses and realized he had only been dreaming.

He looked around the camp, taking in the three sleeping bodies and exhaled slowly from where he sat up. He placed a hand behind him and his fingers spread in the dirt next to his sleeping bag. His other hand went to the place where his Sharingan was covered by the headband. His other eyes went lazy with pain.

Memories... that's all they were. Ceaseless nightmares that had wrought his existence for years. He'd only been twelve. Obito and Rin thirteen. The Third Great War had many casualties; but, none were ever as greatly engraved in his mind as that one death.

His eye closed and he lay back down, covering his body in the warmth of the sleeping bag. The fire, or the remains of it, crackled in the background of his thoughts. If he'd only been stronger, smarter, wiser. If he'd only listened to Obito and formed a plan before the young Uchiha had run off carelessly into the night.

His life was wrought with regrets and what if's. Nothing would ever change that. You couldn't change the past. It was something he'd long ago accepted.

After the death of their team mate Rin had gone off to become an ANBU black ops. She was out of his reach and he could no longer claim to take care of her like Obito wished. Whether she wanted to get away from Kakashi, wanted to get away from her own maddening grief or simply couldn't handle the former love triangle she'd been blind to... he didn't know.

He knew she'd once loved him. And because of that she'd never really seen Obito. He'd never seen either of them until it was too late. A burden, he'd called them. Tools, he proclaimed they all were. And to him, at that time, Rin was just a purpose, a good tool to keep him patched up. How many times had he laid on the ground, beaten bloodied and cut up? And how many times had her soft hands put him back together?

Why had he never been thankful for that?

He'd through the conversation over many times in his head. What he would say to her if he ever chanced to see her in more than passing. The words came clearly to his mind when he thought of them. He'd apologize and tell her what a burden she never was, never had been. He'd thank her. And then, even though it would never make up for it, he'd apologize for not getting it right the first time.

However, everytime he passed her in the village, knowing her scent even behind the mask of a tiger, he just walk by. Everytime he tried to muster the courage on that single date in his life, on the death of a good friend, to ask her out for drinks to speak of him... remember him... he lost words and kept going the long path past her apartment.

She was always home on those nights. He knew because he always did the same thing each time. First, buy a bottle of sake. Second, try to convince himself to knock. Third, stand outside her door for an hour. Fourth, finally leap into a tree outside her window and into the shadows. Fifth... drink himself to oblivion as he watched her cry herself to sleep...

He was pitiful...

How could he possibly expect her to welcome him with open arms? After what he did? She had to blame him. Part of him wasn't afraid of just knocking, asking or even talking to her. What he was really afraid of is her eyes. He knew she would never say it to his face. But, seeing her without the mask... and looking at her pain filled eyes because of what he'd failed to do... it would crush him completely. It would be the final stepping stone in utterly blaming himself for what he could do, what he'd failed to do.

Protect Obito.

ooo

"I thought I told you to take better care of yourself. I expect this kind of behavior from the boys. But you, Tenten? Come now." She pulled the bandaging tight, causing the young woman sitting on the hospital bed in front of her to hold back a wince. Her top was off and she was left in her bra, pants and shinobi sandals.

The wound in her abdomen had been deep. However, with a little bit of chakra healing and some bandages with tape, she'd be good to go by tomorrow.

"I know, I know. Neji tells me all the time I push myself too hard." Her voice was a mutter as she looked to the side, her dark eyes idly wandering over some charts about the human eye.

Sakura chuckled. "He's just as bad as you though. Always so headstrong and just as willing to jump into a fight with everything he has left." She finished the bandaging by tying it off with some white medical tape.

"Tell me about it. How do they all have the energy to do it, Sakura?" Her face looked a mixture of amusement and irritation.

She shrugged. "Oh, I dunno," she stepped back as she said this and picked up the clipboard. She made a few notes about the woman's wound and treatment. "I think we've got just as much energy as they do. And we're just as good at hiding it. I'm sure they say the same things about us to each other."

Tenten laughed. "I guess that's one way of looking at it." She jumped off the mattress and grabbed her shirt. "I'm done, right?"

Sakura nodded as she set down the clipboard on the small desk in the room. "Yes, you may put your shirt back on." She reached for a large bottle of pills and a small empty one. The tiny white objects were placed in the smaller one. She handed the container to Tenten. "Here, these should alleviate the pain and help the healing process. I know it'll be gone by tomorrow evening with little scaring, but this will help move it along."

She took the bottle and nodded after her shirt was buttoned back up. "Alright. Any side affects I should be aware of, oh wise and powerful Sakura?"

The pink haired medical nin chuckled. "Ego boost noted. And yes, only minor ones. You'll be drowsy so I recommend taking a good bit of rest after you swallow the medication. No alcohol either until the day after tomorrow." She shook a finger at her.

Tenten laughed. "Yes, ma'am. I'll be sure to stay away from training."

Sakura half smiled. "I'm sure Neji won't mind keeping you company."

"Hm," she blushed only slightly, "if you only knew."

"Speaking of Neji, how's Hinata doing? I hear from Hiashi she's been very depressed lately." Her father worried about her quite a bit. Everytime he came for his monthly check up he spoke about Hinata. It become something of a custom with them in the last few years. The initial few times he'd spoken very little and it was always formal. But as time passed she'd easily become his 'therapist' as she would any other patient who saw her.

It was funny how they all did that. And they knew Sakura would never breathe a word of the details.

Tenten nodded, her expression a mixture of sadness and worry. "We all are."

"What's got her so upset?"

"You don't know?"

Sakura shook her head.

"I guess you wouldn't." She sighed. "Although I figured you'd be the same way after Sasuke left."

"The same?" What was she talking about.

"Yes. You are in love with him aren't you?" Tenten blinked. Then she shook her head. "Nevermind. About Hinata. She's not seen Naruto in six years now since he left with Jiraiya-sama. It's only natural she's worried considering her feelings."

"Oh..." Sakura finally understood. She supposed she would have sooner. But she was not Hinata's regular doctor. And with Hinata being so... distant, Sakura being so busy and time flying by as it always did she rarely saw her.

Tenten nodded. "She's got it bad. And who knows when they'll be back? Sasuke and Kakashi too. You's think six years would be long enough to do whatever it is they intend to do out there. Aren't you worried? They're your team mates."

Sakura shrugged. "I am. I love them both like brothers. I spent my whole young Genin career making sure they kept from killing one another."

"Brothers?" Tenten smirked. "Is that all Sasuke is to you now?"

Sakura gently shoved Tenten with a half smile. "You're such a tease. Yes, brothers. You try waiting six years for one man and see how long your heart holds onto him? Hm?"

Tenten arched a brow. "That's kinda..."

"Realistic?"

"No, I was going to say pessimistic." Her brow furrowed. "You said you'd always love Sasuke."

Sakura sighed. "Yeah, well, times change as the years fade on. I'll always love him because of what we are to each other. But I'm a young woman now. I'm eighteen Tenten. I've been on numerous dates with numerous men in the village. And I've discovered I'm not going to wait of Uchiha Sasuke anymore."

Tenten shrugged. "Not that I'm arguing with your sense of logic or feelings here.... but you can't really hold him responsible for being gone so long. You had things to do here with Tsunade and he had things to take care of with Kakashi."

"I know that..."

"So what changed, Sakura? How can you wake up one day and not love someone anymore? I love Neji and I always will."

Sakura sighed and sat down. She let her elbow lean onto the top of the desk as she used the hand attached to rub her forehead. "Hell if I know... I just don't love him that way anymore. I've grown up. It took time, but I realized I never really did." She sighed and sat back, dropping her hand as she looked up at the weapon's mistress. "I suppose I've just realized I don't want a boy in my life anymore. Sasuke is too wound up in his own ideals to see me for me. He doesn't hate me nor I him. But we have an understanding. And no offense... but he has enough fan girls waiting on him without his team mate adding to the number. No thank you. I'm happy enough just being his friend. I'm sure the feeling is mutual for him.

"You'll see. He'll come back and when he does someone, somewhere out there will be good for him. But it won't be me."

"If you say so." Tenten shrugged. "I'm going to head out and take these pills. I need a nap anyway." She headed for the door.

"Say hello to Neji for me. And remind him he still needs to check in from that mission. Tsunade wants that report."

"Righto, boss." She gave a mock salute before shutting the door.

After the door shut Sakura relaxed back into her seat and stared up at the window across the room. Outside birds were avid in flight, dancing in the air with a flirty manner. It was spring in Konoha. After such a long a dreadful winter the season change was a welcome one. Dew from the lingering snow hung on the tips of leaves and there was still a cool air wavering about outside. For the next couple of weeks people would be opening out their houses to allow the stuffiness of winter breeze out. She'd be doing the same thing on her day off tomorrow. And this time she was taking it. No one was calling her on duty unless a war broke out or Tsunade called her with an ANBU herself. That was all there was to it.

Her fingers touched her lips as she continued to watch the birds.

Six years... six happy yet devoid years they'd been gone. In that time she'd risen above the rest and made Jounin. He master was proud and her family, though civilians, were prouder still. The party had been fun. She'd drunk herself silly with the many of rookie nine in the usual pub. The only two who hadn't drank were Neji and Lee. Neji because everyone secretly knew he'd pass out after the first shot and Lee... well, he was a bloody power house when drunk. He now only carried around alcohol to use in dire situations on missions.

And despite all the fun she had... there'd been one thing missing, three if she wanted to be precise... Her team. Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke. Tenten was right. Six years? Did it really take that long to hone oneself outside the village? Had Sasuke already killed his brother? No, that couldn't be right. If that was true she would have already received word by hawk. He told her he would before he left. He'd taken the best flight bird with him to ensure she'd get the message as soon as possible.

And what of Naruto? How much had he improved since their last meeting? Had he finally surpassed Sasuke? Was he ready to take the role of Hokage from Tsunade? He was Eighteen too now after all. It was a decent age for any young man to take on the role. And Tsunade had more than once complained to her she was sick of waiting on the boy so she could retire with a good bottle of sake and Jiraiya by her side. Of course she'd been drunk when she revealed the slip about Jiraiya. But Sakura had always known there was something there between those two. And as the years passed the slip turned into a full blown confession.

All the threats and the punches to the old perv were done out of love. She felt sorry for her shishou. How could she pine after a man for six years with no contact?

Sakura sighed and stood up. She couldn't just sit here and reminisce about the good old days. Sooner or later they'd be back. They were too stubborn to die on her and too good hearted to never return. And anyway, her old sensei would never let anyone take him down. She didn't think a ninja existed that could take down the great copy nin Kakashi.

She blushed slightly as she recalled the time they tried to see his face. Ayame had gone into a fit of blushes herself when it had been revealed to her at the ramen booth. Was he really that good looking?

_Feh, get a hold of yourself, Haruno, _she scolded herself. He was fourteen years her senior. And adult woman or not she had no more reason to foolishly pine after him even only with lusty thoughts than she did Sasuke in a love forlorn manner.

He was almost as bad as Sasuke at times too. Even worse with his cryptic responses and half answers about life. Even after all this time she still had no idea why the man was so notoriously late to every damn thing. Sexy or not, she did not need to be thinking about him or her team mate in that fashion. There was too much she didn't understand about Kakashi. Too much baggage. Whatever he had in his past that left him alone and reading porn till he died was none of her concern.

She would care about him like she always did. As a friend and as a former student.


	2. Chapter 2

**..Chapter Two..**

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Two young men and two older ones begin to set packs down on the cool ground. It was another day which passed them in the last month since they'd crossed paths. Another week until they reached Leaf. A few more nights of this and they'd finally be home. Six years was long enough, after all.

"Naruto," Sasuke muttered, tossing him an energy bar.

The blond grabbed it with ease, not even bothering to look. He had his back to the ebony haired team mate as he dug through his bag with one hand. He glanced at the bar momentarily. "Peanut butter? The hell, Sasuke? Don't you have any chocolate left, bastard?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and pulled out his sleeping bag. It was set on the ground beside him and rolled out. Two more bars were pulled from his bag and given to Jiraiya and Kakashi. "No, dropout, you ate the last one the other night. Don't you remember?"

Naruto muttered something that sounded distinctly like 'freakin' bastard' under his breath while he pulled out his own sleeping bag.

"What'd you say, dumbass?"

"I said you got a stick shoved so far up your ass you're likely to die from it damaging your brain, you freakin' bastard." He rolled the sleeping back out and sat down on it while Kakashi and Jiraiya started the fire.

"At least my brain isn't already damaged, dropout." He took a seat as well. It was a second later a large hawk landed on his right shoulder where some thick leather wrapping was. The material that wound itself across his chest kept the bird from tearing into his shoulder.

"Man, get rid of that creepy bird already. That thing hates me." He made a face at the creature childishly. The animal responded back with a screech.

"You're such a jackass. If you recall Stalker saved you on more than one occasion. Had it not been for his warnings to me you'd have been toast with those missing Mist nin." He smirked smugly.

"That's bullshit. I had it under control until you came in and tried be all badass." He flicked him off.

"Whatever, dropout. At least you should admit when you need help. Then again this is you were talking about. It's just not in your vocabulary to know when to withdraw."

"Ha! Yours either!"

"Yeah, but I normally complete my missions with ease. That's the difference."

"Bastard."

"Dropout."

"Asshole."

"Shithead."

"Masochist!"

Pause....

"Where the hell did you come up with that one?" Sasuke stared blankly at him. "Do you even know what it means?"

Naruto snorted playfully. "I'm not a complete moron, bastard. Yes, I know what it means."

"And?" He waited curiously, idly brushing through Stalker's feathers with one hand.

"And what?" Naruto said before diving into his energy bar. "'And' do you want the definition or 'and' do you want to know why I called you on?"

"Both." He smirked.

"See I just figure you throw yourself carelessly into shit like a kamikaze because you like pain. And the meaning is pretty much summed up in that sentence if I do say so myself." Naruto was the one who looked smug this round.

"Feh," Sasuke muttered, "you're still and idiot."

Jiraiya and Kakashi said nothing through all of this. It was a conversation, banter, they were both use to. At least by now the only thing they flung back and forth were insults. Fighting was carefully saved for attacking enemy ninja or training exercises.

"If you two are both done," Kakashi drawled, "I'd like to go over the information we've all gathered."

Naruto arched a brow between bites. "You're sure it's safe?"

Jiraiya nodded. "We're far enough in Fire Country now to not have to worry too much about enemy nin overhearing us."

"Good," Sasuke agreed.

Kakashi pulled out a book from his pack, a journal of all he and Sasuke had gathered while gone for the last couple of years. Anything they could find on Itachi and the Akatsuki. He watched as Jiraiya pulled out a scroll with much the same intention.

"I'll let you start," Kakashi offered, "since I'd rather not repeat any information about Itachi we've gathered."

Jiraiya nodded and began to speak. "So far we know there are nine members. There use to be ten but Orochimaru defected shortly after joining." He shrugged. "No one I've talked to knows why. And since then no one has taken his place as the tenth member. I could give you detailed information on each one, but it'd take too long. You can read over the files when you wish." He pulled the scroll out further and continued to explain. "The man who operates the group is only know as Leader. However, I have a sneaky suspicion he isn't the one running the show at all. Who is? No real idea. And of course we all already know they're after the tailed beasts. It seems they've captured a number of them already." He shut the scroll carefully. "All in all, not too damn much to go on. At least we have detailed files of the members though. That was the main goal for when we finally face them."

Kakashi nodded. "Good, nothing I don't have already. Now," he began as he flipped through the book, "from what I've gathered, and this may sound.. odd... Itachi's actions over the past few years have almost indicated he's not exactly operating under direct Akatsuki orders."

"What does that mean?" This from Naruto and he stuffed his empty candy bar wrapper into his bag.

"What I mean is he's not acting normal. Not as we've expected. Some of his actions almost make me want to think he's got another goal in mind." He flipped a page and scanned. "When he first encountered Naruto and you came along Sasuke he was obviously after the nine tails. But since then he hasn't been trying to nab any tailed beasts. He hasn't taken down one. All he's been doing it taking us on a wild goose chase across the globe. Each time we encounter him he just disappears again. I do know he's searching for something, but what I have no idea." He snapped the book shut.

Sasuke and Naruto sighed.

"So, basically, we know about as much as we did when this trip started?" Naruto muttered.

Jiraiya shook his head. "No, we've gathered a lot of info on the group. And whatever Kakashi had gathered on Itachi and Kisame will be added to my files when I hand them into Tsunade."

Naruto grinned. "One more week, Sasuke! Then see Sakura-chan!"

Sasuke just smirked and scratched Stalker's neck.

"Ramen!" Naruto chanted with jubilation.

Kakashi and Jiraiya chuckled.

"Yes, ramen. I'll buy your first bowl, Naruto," Kakashi offered playfully before delving into his 'Come! Come!' book.

"Sweet!"

Sasuke looked over at Kakashi, his face a tad serious. "What do we do after we get Sakura?"

Kakashi shrugged, not bothering to looking away form his reading. No one was ever really sure if he was actually multitasking or pretending to read. "It all depends on what Tsunade says. Personally I'd like to take a week off. We've been gone for a long time. There's people I'd like to see."

"Ditto," muttered Jiraiya in agreement.

Naruto chuckled at the white haired sanin. "You just wanna see grandma." He snickered.

Sasuke snorted. "Pervert."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You try spending six years with a horny sage and see if you come out of it unaffected."

"Hn, what do you think Kakashi is, dropout? He reads the old man's books like it's his own personal religion."

Naruto blinked just as Kakashi said 'hey!'. "Touche."

"Thank you."

Jiraiya just laughed at Kakashi's obvious distress as he coaxed the fire. And the night went on from there. Quiet banter turned to discussion, turned to yawns which eventually turned to sleep for the two young men. Everyone said their goodnights and it was Kakashi and Jiraiya who'd stayed up long past the kindling of the flamed died and long past the boys fell asleep.

"We've been gone too long," Jiraiya idly said after the long comforting silence.

Kakashi nodded and set his book aside. "Yup."

There was an even longer pause. A night own hooted, alerting Stalker only enough for him to ruffle his feathers slightly on his nearby perch near his master. Crickets chirped and somewhere in the distance the howl of animal was heard.

"I heard you wake up last night," the old toad sanin murmured.

Kakashi said nothing a moment. His gaze lingered on the hawk. "Did you?"

"Mm..." was his response as he poked a stick into the dying embers of the fire.

"What did you hear?" He knew where this was going.

Jiraiya didn't bother looking up. "You were crying out their names again." Pause. Nudge the coals. Pause. "Nightmare?"

Another pause. Another distant look. "Yeah."

"Mm..." He gave an idle yawn, not wanting to dig too deep. "How long's it been?"

"Eighteen years, nine months, three days, five hours and six minutes... five minutes." He said without missing a beat.

Jiraiya's eyes suddenly flashed to Kakashi's face. He stared a long while. And then as if he realized his own expression he looked down solemnly at the embers again. "I understand."

"You?"

He shrugged. "I try not think of how long..."

"But you know it exactly." His voice was soft yet firm as he hunched forward on his sleeping bag, legs spread and bends of his elbows on his knees.

"I do."

Pause. More nudging of the embers and more staring at the sleeping, but ever ready bird.

"Minato-sensei was a great man."

"He was my best student," Jiraiya agreed. His eyes turned over the patch of spiked blond hair peaking out from the sleeping bag. "I miss him greatly."

Another long and comforting silence seemed to drag between the two men. Memories were recalled; regrets and plenty of what if's. A man incurred a lot of what if's in his life as he aged. A lot of bloody broken promises and half patched ideals. As you aged, in the shinobi world, life seemed to warp your mind. It was hard for a honorable man to stay that way. It was easy for a man to succumb to his own darkness.

"Naruto is a lot like them both," Kakashi smiled slightly beneath his mask. "At least Obito was. I'm not sure about Minato..."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Naruto is more like his mother was in the personality area."

"I never met her," he admitted.

Jiraiya smiled sadly. "She was a wonderful woman..."

He nodded. "Does it ever go away?"

Jiraiya looked at him again, gazes catching across the dimming ember light and shining moonlight. There was just something about looking into the hollow of another man's eyes and knowing exactly what bothered him that made Jiraiya's blood run cold. He knew the look well.

"The regret or the pain?"

"Both," Kakashi replied.

"Do you want an honest answer or a sugar coated one?" He didn't mean it as a joke.

"Honest."

Another pause... but this one was longer. It seemed to drag for minutes as Jiraiya tried to half heartedly rekindle the flames. "No."

It was then Kakashi did nothing more than nod and roll over as he covered himself in the sleeping bag and attempted to go to sleep.

As the hours passed and sleep finally won out Kakashi found himself once more dreaming of a black haired boy with Sharingan eyes. He found himself once more seeing a young girl with purple-brown hair crying as she held the young boy's hand. And this time it got worse when he imagined Minato-sensei dying during the fight against the Kyuubi.

The years had worn on him and in all that time he lost more and more people. The only one's he'd never managed to lose and who were now called the new Team Kakashi were Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke. He always counted himself lucky. He always prayed that when they died he was not the one left standing.

People say parents should never bury their children, but, some also say... teachers should never bury their students. And in Kakashi's case, more real than the other two phrases... he never wanted to bury his own team mates.

Obito's body had never been recovered. He was glad for that. He didn't think he would have ever been able to stomach having to know or chance to see what he looked like after that day. Seeing him crushed under a rock was enough. Seeing Rin pour her eyes out over their good friend, their brother, was enough.

There had been many casualties during the Third Great War. Many loses and much death. Kakashi was glad people no longer had to die shamelessly like that anymore. He was glad his team mates lived in a world where the chances of him seeing them tomorrow was greater than ever before. Even with the Akatsuki being the huge threat they were, the world was still relatively safe by comparison to what it had been over nineteen years ago.

The dreams plagued him for hours. Jiraiya would hear them all night. And when morning finally came, that was when he was allowed his reprieve.


	3. Chapter 3

**..Chapter Three..**

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A week had went by and Sakura had been lovingly enjoying a cold, sweet coffee drink at the local cafe shop that newly opened about two weeks ago when the ANBU showed up. She supposed she'd gotten lucky last week. Her whole Sunday had been spent opening up her home, cleaning out the dust bunnies and putting away her winter wear. The sheets had been changed on her bed in favor of something brighter; and so had nearly every other shred of fabric that decorated her home. Sakura wasn't a fashionable woman by habit. She liked nice things and she preferred a clean home. However, the amount of time she got to spend doing such things was minimal. She'd been lucky last week.

So, you can imagine why she just sat there, regarding her deliciously ripe and frozen coffee drink as she replied, snappishly, "What does she want?"

"The details can not be said in the open, Haruno-sama. It's confidential. Please report to the tower."

She grumbled and stood up. She'd been so enjoying her time too. So much for having a life. She supposed she shouldn't be too terribly pessimistic. After all, she could only be calling her to ask about something. Things had been quiet outside the hospital lately. The chances of her her presence being direly required were slim.

"Very well, I'll be there in my own good time."

The ANBU appeared to tense at this. Not that anyone could tell. What with the mask they wore.

Sakura rolled her eyes at his persistent silence. "I'm not going to dawdle. I'm just not going to run my happy little ass up to her office because she snaps the whip."

Happy with that at least, the man nodded and visibly vanished from sight.

Sakura gave one more grunt and headed towards the tower as she sipped her coffee delicacy. Two or three years ago she would have ran to her shishou's office. These days she was getting nearly as grumpy as the woman who'd trained her. And with that came the easy going way of just flat out being stubborn enough to deal with her. Sure she might get agitated she was taking her time, but Sakura didn't care. She wanted to enjoy her drink. Hell, it was her day off!

Her steps were careful and soft, black shinobi boot-sandals thudding against the soft dirt road. She took comfort in the familiar sounds of the village around her. Children laughing, parents scolding, women gossiping and others still trying to haggle a good deal with local vendors.

She took a sip of her drink as she neared the red beacon of doom. At least that what it represented in her mind now. Doom... doom on her day of fun and relaxation. She would have been almost perfectly content to sit outside that cafe for at least another hour or two; drinking coffee and reading a book.

Her hand pressed against the knob of one of the double doors and she entered the busy and loud building. People were wandering about. Some reported from missions and others reported to get new ones. All this was ignored. She'd seen it enough to no longer view it as anything but a normal day in Konoha. Her hand traced the railing as she made her way up the wooden stairs. And pretty soon she found herself in front of Tsunade's office door.

She raised a confident fist and knocked three times. The sound of voices was heard, murmurs and shuffling of papers on a desk. After another long minute, right when she was going to knock again, she heard the call to enter.

She reached for the door knob and tuned the cool metal in her hand. The wood barrier opened to her and she stepped into the office.

"Shut the door, Sakura."

She nodded at the Hokage and did so. When she turned back around it was then she noticed both Temari and Shikamaru were in the room as well. She nodded at them. "Good to see you. Temari, Shikamaru."

They merely nodded back. At this Sakura noted the odd and heavy weight of the atmosphere in the room. All three of them were being polite. But no one was really saying anything. So, she started the conversation. "You called, Shishou?"

"Yes, I did. We have a problem in The Valley of The End."

Sakura arched a brow as she tossed her empty drink in the trash can across the room and crossed her arms over her chest. "A problem?"

Tsunade nodded from her seat. "Yes, and we're not sure how to handle it. For no apparent reason a large ball of energy has appeared; a hole, if you will. It doesn't seem to be hurting anyone or the environment. But I don't like the idea of just leaving it alone."

"Ball... a hole?" Now she was confused.

Tsunade turned to Shikamaru. "Explain."

He nodded and took a step forward. "It wasn't noticed until last Sunday. Some ANBU ran across it in a return mission. They informed Tsunade-sama about the situation immediately. Both I and Temari were called to check it out."

Sakura nodded, still unsure. That made sense. If she were Hokage she'd call him to check it out too. The guy was a genius in the village. Lazy, but a genius. If anyone could figure out what a large blob of energy was just by observing it, it's Shikamaru. "Alright. And?"

He shook his head. "It's troublesome, but the best I can come up with is a wormhole."

"A wormhole?" Now she was more confused.

He nodded. "Yeah, and you'll never believe this. I've heard of some odd things in my day. But this tops it all."

"So, quit beating around the bush and tell me." Now she was getting agitated at the young Jounin.

He sighed, but it was evident despite the worry in his tone, there was an excitement in his eyes. "It's a hole in time. I don't know where and I don't to when."

Sakura blinked a few times. He had to be joking. A wormhole in time? That was the sort of thing that only happened in stories, novels, manga. Not in real life. "You've got to be joking."

"I wish I was."

Sakura turned to Tsunade as she spoke. "He's quite serious, Sakura. This is why I've kept this under tight wraps. The whole area is under ANBU guard and sealed off completely."

"O..k" So, there was a giant blob, or wormhole rather, in Fire Country. It sounded preposterous, but she knew her teacher wasn't a liar. Not when it came to the village and ANBU agents. Her bet and jokes could go lengths. But, not that far.

"Why am I here then?"

"I already have Temari on the job with him as backup in case anything goes wrong. We don't know what to expect. However, I need you to go with them in case something medically is needed. Shikamaru plans on running a few tests that will force him to come in contact with the wormhole. So, as a precaution, you'll be there."

She nodded. She didn't like the idea of one of her friend's touching some weird blob, but she'd go along with it. Tsunade's word was law and this was a mission. "When do we leave?"

"Now. Since it's not too far away from the village and you'll only be gone a few hours you won't need to pack anything," she answered swiftly. "Just be careful and remember this is a confidential mission. Understood?"

A murmur of agreement was voiced from the three shinobi.

"Very well, you're dismissed."

ooo

They were almost home. In the distance the gates were in sight. Naruto smiled like a kid in a candy store. Or in his case, a ramen shop. All he could think about was seeing his pink haired team mate again and a big bowl of hot soupy delight.

Six years. Six years of walking, running, fight and training. And after all that he was _finally_ coming home. He wondered how much Sakura changed. In the long years since his absence his clothes had went from a blatant orange to a black and orange in color. Kakashi and Jiraiya hadn't changed at all as far as he could tell. But Sasuke had grown up quite a bit. Mostly as much as he had.

But his clothes had changed too. Gone was the blue shirt and white shorts. In their place were long black shinobi pants with the standard pouch and leg wrap for kunai. Standard leg wraps like Kakashi's covered his ankles and upper shins, tucked under the cuff of the pants. Black shinobi sandals covered his feet.

Over his chest was a dark blue robing with a high neck. The robe itself fell to his knees and split four ways. Front, back and sides. And wrapped about his chest was a black leather shoulder guard for Stalker. The only other weapon he carried was a katana tied to his hips with a silk roping.

Naruto dug his hands into his pockets as they neared the gates. Maybe another five more minutes as he'd make it there. But why wait? He glanced over at Sasuke. "Hey, bastard."

"Hn?" Coal eyes found the blond's blue ones.

He smiled impishly. "Race ya." And before he gave the raven haired Uchiha even a chance to reply he was off like a jack rabbit. But it wasn't long before he felt that presence gaining on him. He heard the distinct screech of a hawk. The red shouldered bird had most likely taken flight after unexpectedly being forced off his master's shoulder by the brunt force of inertia on Sasuke's part.

Naruto laughed, taking pleasure in that humorous thought. And moment later he could see the large animal flying above him just as Sasuke gained on him.

Behind them, still walking, Kakashi and Jiraiya sighed.

"Some things never change," the silver hair make muttered.

"Some things never should," Jiraiya replied with a bemused chuckle.

They watched as the two boys drew near the gates. It wouldn't take much longer for them to catch up.

"I'm too old for this you think?" Kakashi mused.

"Nah... Why let them have all the fun?"

And before either of them knew it they were off fasting and running. Not to race, but to at least catch up with their students as they flew by the gates.

ooo

Sakura was walking with her head down as she stared at the dirty path. Her mind was in deep thought about nothing in particular. The silly things that one thinks on when one has nothing rather important to think about. Her shifts at the hospital, her patients, who needed what medication and when, the fact that she had left a few dishes undone at home and needed to get them over and complete by tonight.

And so it was no great surprise when she never heard Temari or Shikamaru shout at her to watch out or that two people were running full blast right towards her. And it was no great shock that they were so caught up in the 'race' they didn't see her. A collision was imminent.

"SHIT!" Sasuke shouted.

"FUCK!" From Naruto.

Both men fell right into her and toppled to the ground in a huge pile of three bodies. Sakura was in a daze. Her mind reeled as she tried to regain her senses. So far her day was not going well. And she decided whoever had ran into her was getting the tongue lashing of a lifetime.

"What the fuck is your problem?! Don't you know to watch where you're going?! Who the fuck comes running through Konoha gates at full blast anyway?!" She was still very much under the two male bodies and very much not happy.

"Well maybe you shoud watch where you're going!" A distinct male voice shouted near her ear. She couldn't see his face because his black hair was covering it.

She grunted and shoved them both off of her. She pulled herself up and dusted dirt off her body. And when she looked down at the two men surprise and joy crossed her features in realization. "Sasuke! Naruto!"

"Sakura?" Both men said at the same time.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted as he stood up and embraced her in a giant hug.

Sasuke just grunted, smirked and stood. He too, like her, dusted himself off.

"Oh, Naruto! I can't breathe..." She gasped with a smile as he picked her up and turned in a circle.

"Dropout, put her down," Sasuke ordered.

With an impish grin he released her. "Sorry, Sakura-chan." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's alright. I'm glad you're back. Where's Kakashi and Jiraiya? Why didn't you send word?" She looked about behind the two men. But before either could answer her the two old pervs were jogging through the gates.

Kakashi waved slightly with a smiling eye. "Hello, Sakura."

Jiraiya just grinned, hands on his hips. "Long time no see, blossom."

Sakura smiled, resisting the urge to blush at the old sanin's antics. She was an adult woman. She'd become worldly in their absence. And few pretty words were not going to have her going off kilter. "Smooth-tongued as ever, Jiraiya-sama."

"You know it."

It was then the red shouldered hawk made his decent and landed on Sasuke's shoulder with a few flaps. Sakura smiled. "Is that the same messenger bird you took out of the village six years ago?"

"The same one," he replied as he gave the creature some attention.

"Well, he's certainly not the same little thing I recall years ago." At this statement she couldn't help but look at the two boys turned men. Naruto had filled out nicely. The new uniform looked good on him. He hadn't lost that boyish manner and if anything it made him look as handsome as ever. His hair had lengthened out. And for some reason the pink haired ninja thought he looked a lot like someone she'd seen before... in a book? A picture? She wasn't too sure. But the way his hair hung down his shoulders gave him an air of maturity.

Sasuke had changed a lot himself. Six years had been good to the man. At eighteen he'd gotten taller and firmer. And the outfitting he'd picked for himself suited him quite well. She easily noted the two red and white Uchiha fans on the upper arms of the attire.

"You all look well, it seems."

Shikamaru yawned. "As much as I'd like to stay and chat, we still have a mission to complete before the day is over."

"D-rank?" Kakashi asked with an arched brow. There were few B-rank or higher missions that required only a day.

Temari shook her head. "ANBU class. We can't reveal the details. Tsunade's orders."

"Hm..." Jiraiya remarked, but nothing more as he rubbed his chin.

"They're right. I have to go. But, after you report in how about drinks at Yin's?" Sakura smiled. "First drink is on me. Tonight around nine? I should be done by then."

"Sounds good," Sasuke remarked and Naruto nodded with a smile.

"I never turn down a free drink," Jiraiya said with a waggle of his brows.

Kakashi just chuckled at the antics of his team. "I'll be there."

"Great! Bye!" With that the three Jounin were walking off past the gates and heading towards The Valley of End at a rapid pace.

Four men found themselves heading towards the tower with a slow gait.

"Sakura's changed, hey Sasuke?"

Sasuke shrugged, hands in his pockets. "She seems the same to me, dropout."

Naruto shook his head. "Nah, she looks different."

Sasuke snorted and smacked him in the back of his skull lightly, playfully. "Of course she looks different, you idiot. It's been six years. What did you expect?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and pouted. "I know that. Eash. I was just commenting. No need to be a sadist."

"And what is with you and those words? I'm not a fucking sadist or masochist, moron." Stalker screeched as if to drive his point home.

Naruto just laughed, the edge gone from the conversation. "You don't have to be defensive, Sasuke. I was only joking." He smirked. "With that expression you'd think I'd hurt you feelings." He mock gasped and held his hand over his mouth. "For shame! Have I emotionally wounded the great Uchiha Sasuke?!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

Naruto laughed.

"Keep talking shit, dropout. You'll pay for it later during training. Just wait."

All the blond did was grin, completely satisfied he'd ruffled the bastard's proverbial feathers. Before long they found themselves at the tower and report in at Tsunade's desk.

"Glad to see you all home safe and sound. I take it you have information for me?" Tsunade spoke with a smile on her face.

Both older men nodded and handed her scroll and journal. She took the items and briefly scanned them over. "Well, I'll read these tonight and get back to you later. In the meantime.. I have a more pressing matter to discuss with you."

All four men looked at one another, each silently wondering what could be more pressing than the Akatsuki, Orochimaru and Itachi.

"More pressing?" Kakashi asked, hand in his pockets.

The Hokage nodded. "Yes." It was then she explained the situation in The Valley of End. It didn't take too long as she didn't have much information to go on yet.

"So that's why Sakura, Temari and Shikamaru were in a hurry, huh?" Naruto blinked. "That's just weird..."

Tsunade nodded. "Weird and troublesome. I can't simply leave something like this alone. And for the meantime Team Kakashi is on standby. I want my best people on this in case it gets out of hand. So for now just stick around until I have some news. And don't go talking to anyone about this, understood?"

They all nodded.

"You can go now, enjoy your free time." She waved them off. But as they left it was Jiraiya and Kakashi who stayed behind. She arched a brow. "Is something up?"

"You're worried about this, huh?" Jiraiya stepped forward and leaned on the edge of her desk, half sitting on it.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Of course I am. A giant hole in time has appeared in Fire Country. We don't know why it's there or how to get rid of it. There's no telling what types of consequences it could have should the wrong person come across it." And it was true, all of her words. If it was in fact what the Nara boy said it was, then it could mean serious trouble if not removed quickly.

"What I want to know," began Kakashi, "Is why it's there to start with."

"You think there's a reason?" The toad sage arched a brow.

Kakashi shrugged as regarded Tsunade once more. "In my experience things happen for a reason. At least the weird ones do. And this is definitely weird. Has anything like this happened in the past?"

Tsunade shook her head and sat back in her chair with a worried sigh. "No, I've already had Shizune check all the records. It's utterly random, in my eyes. It's not genjutsu. At first we thought that. You don't think someone created it do you? Shikamaru said it doesn't have a chakra signature."

Jiraiya sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "We won't know until he has more info, hm?"

She shook her head.

"Then the best thing to do is wait for the results and go from there," he replied.

Tsunade rubbed her jawline as she turned the swiveling chair back and forth in an idle fashion. It wasn't done out of worry, but simply out of habit. Like how one taps his fingers in thought or pats his thigh.

"You're thinking of sending a team in." It wasn't a question from Kakashi.

Tsunade blinked. "Kami, I hope it doesn't come to that."

"But that is why you placed my team on standby."

She bit her lower lip and nodded with half closed eyes. "I have to look at every possibility. If we can't figure out a way to get rid of it, and it's deemed safe, I'll have no choice. We can't leave it there. A open porthole in time is just too dangerous a weapon in the wrong hands. Imagine what our enemies could do, hm?"

Kakashi nodded. "I'm not arguing with you. I just want to be prepared."

"Point taken," she muttered. "Now, if you're done hanging about my office, get out. I still have a lot of work to do and have no time to waste on two old pervs."

Kakashi chuckled and waved goodbye. He didn't even bother waiting on Jiraiya. He could tell by the look in the old man's eyes he wasn't going anywhere. Six years was a far too long to be away from the woman you loved.

ooo

Night came swiftly and descended on Konoha like a lover's long kiss goodnight. People dashed home and kids were ushered inside. But to the single and lonely of the village many pubs were filled high.

And it was on this night Kakashi found himself at the bar, enjoying a beer and the hum music behind him from a rather old jukebox. The atmosphere was the usual. It never changed no matter what bar or local pub you found yourself in. Yin's just happened to be the oldest one still standing in Konoha. It boasted existence since the construction of the Leaf walls. It had served the First, Second, Third, Fourth and, for obvious reasons if you knew her, the Fifth Hokage.

His mind was riddled with thought; obviously about porthole in time. What in the hell was it doing there? As Tsunade said, nothing like this had ever occurred before. It didn't have a chakra signature so none of their known enemies created it. It wasn't genjutsu. Shikamaru had already removed that idea from the hat.

So... what was the deal?

He didn't believe in fairy tales. The idea that some mystical force had seen to place it in a most conflicting place was not within his thought range. But it was odd all the same. Was it a experiment gone wrong? Was it possible someone advanced enough in electronic sciences existed in this world to make something? It wasn't sorcery. Kakashi wasn't buying that one bit.

He grabbed his beer in his right hand and took a swig. The taste of the malt liquor felt good sliding down his throat. He finished it rather quickly and soon found another in it's place. When he turned to see who'd done as much he found Sakura in the stool right next to him.

He arched a brow.

She smiled. "First one was one me, right? I'll just pay for this one since none of you waited."

He couldn't help but allow his lips to twitch in response, a smile slowly creasing behind the blue of his mask. "Aren't you still a bit young to be drinking?" He watched as she ordered a hard shot of whiskey.

He couldn't stop himself from wondering, for a brief moment, if the woman sitting next to him was still the same one he'd trained years ago. When he'd arrived home he'd only briefly glanced her over with a smile. She hadn't stayed long because of the mission assignment and he'd been tired. Traveling the last few days had been steady as they'd cut down their sleeping time quite a bit. And on the days they did sleep for a while... he hardly got any.

He had a chance to look at her now. His one good eyes took her in just within range of his peripheral vision. The hair she's always kept so impeccably long had been chopped short. Not too short, but short enough it looked like Naruto's almost. In the front were a set of bangs that hung to just her chin; brushing her features and just barely out of her eyes. It was... nice.

Her clothing was a mixture of pinks, Jounin vest greens and black. The green skirt was short and slit to her her hip on one side. And array of belts held in place--two actually. Black fishnets hugged her thighs. Her waist was bare up to just under her ribs. It appeared as though she wore a green vest with flared sleeveless shoulders over a black... frontless spandex top.

He blinked a few times avoiding his own thoughts about _that._

The front of the vest zipped up to just below the fall of her breasts. And the top beneath stopped just under the vest covering it. The sleeves of the spandex top reached her mid upper arms emblazoned on the sides with the red swirl of Fire Country.

No gloves adorned her hands but she did wear wrist wraps with black leather and metal leaf plates.

He was so wrapped up in watching her he almost didn't hear her. "Hm?"

"I was replying you, Kakashi. I asked, do you think so?"

He blinked. "About?"

She laughed softly, the sound was rich and danced across his sense. When she spoke, it was teasingly. "Do you really think I'm too young to drink, Kakashi?" Her expression was one of amusement, her eyes half closed as she only partially looked at him. "Sixteen is the legal age."

Were he a good ten years younger and someone else entirely he might have suspected, or mistaken, her words and tone as that of a woman... flirting.

He had to pause at that. He had to think about it. Was she? Or was it merely his imagination playing tricks on him? No, he was being silly. Sakura was like this with everyone. She'd never been before. But he knew as a young girl grew into a woman they had a tendency to test the waters, their skills, with nearly any good looking man they felt safe with. And of course he was safe in her eyes. She had to know he'd never act on such a thing.

Still... wouldn't hurt to have a little fun, right?

"My mistake," his voice was light. "No more sensei?" The honorific was noticeably dropped and he had to wonder.

She laughed softly, her hand reaching over to touch his arm lightly. To anyone else the touch might have seemed a kind gesture from one good friend to another. But the keen eye, it could be call something more. Definitely. "You've not been my sensei for six years, Kakashi." As if that was reason alone. "We're equals now aren't we?" She released his arm and took a sip of her drink.

"Equals?" He mused before drinking some of his beer. "Yes, I suppose we are." He looked over at her as he set the drink down. "How have you managed all these years without me," he teased with a grin.

"Oh, it was horrible at first, you must know. I use to lay awake at night and think to myself, 'how will I go on without Kakashi?' I mean, I still haven't seen that lovely face of yours yet, you know." She smiled and twirled her drink. "Ayame still blushes over it. I do wonder what the big deal is all about."

It was in that moment, whether still playing along with her or simply because he liked her false teasing attention that he leaned over close to her ear, the fabric of his mask over his lips brushing her skin and whispered, "There are many other ways to find out, Sakura."

He waited for the blush that was sure to come, the scathing remark, the slap to his arm and perhaps even the shy laugh as she backed out of this entire thing she had formally deemed herself master of. However, none of it came. Instead, she turned her head slightly, her lips coming close to his ear as she whispered a reply.

"You shouldn't tease, Kakashi. It gives a woman ideas."

He blinked, pulled back and stared at her. The expression on her face could almost be called smug. There was no blush and no slapping hand. And though her face appeared nearly expressionless her eyes looked to be dancing with laughter. They had that 'got ya!' verbalization in them.

The remark wasn't even... sexual in the least. As if she'd rode that hard edge perfectly. He almost wanted to ask what she as about, now more confused than ever.

But as if none of it had ever happened she switched gears on him. "So, how was the journey? I am allowed to ask, right?" After that question she snapped the bar tender's attention to her and ordered another drink, this time a beer.

It gave him time to think on a reply. "Long," he spoke and pushed his empty bottle away from him. He nodded for another one.

"Was it what you wanted it to be?" She looked over at him and she leaned into the bar with her forearms and drank.

He nodded. "I think so. The main reason for the leave of absence was to get Sasuke away and ready for the future."

"Hm..." She commented as she stared at her bottle. "So he could face Itachi." It seemed like she was speaking more to herself than him. And then she shrugged, settling more into her seat. "He doesn't appear as restless anymore. Or as angry."

"Six years can change a lot in a person."

She half smiled as she looked down at the bar top. His words washed over her. She had to half wonder if they were talking about just Sasuke any more. "Oh, I dunno, you don't seem to have changed too much."

He chuckled softly. "I've done enough changing in my life, thank you."

And then she frowned slightly. "And somehow you still manage to drink and eat without letting anyone get a glimpse of that face." Her tone was accusatory, but playful nonetheless. "But," she smiled, "it's good to have you back." Her eyes turned to look back in the middle of the bar where Sasuke and Naruto were doing something with a group of friends. "All of you."

The words hung in the air as the night drug on. The light began to dim, people left, and Naruto had to drag Sasuke home because both were too drunk to much anything else. Sakura had thought about helping... but realized they were both grown men who could handle themselves drunk or not.

She was paying for the tab a half hour later and starting to leave the bar.

"Sakura?"

"Hm?" She turned around near the door and arched a brow at her former sensei.

"I should walk you home."

She smirked and placed her hands on her hips. "I can manage just fine, Kakashi. I'm not a child anymore. I'm the Hokage's apprentice."

He shrugged and dug his hands into his pockets as he walked out the door with her. "Humor me. Maybe I want to feel needed."

She laughed softly as she lopped her arms through his. "You'll always be needed, Kakashi. But what's really important is if you are wanted."

He mulled the words around in his head. "Am I?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Of course." Her expression was soft, her hold on his arm firm. "Why would you even ask?" She chuckled lightly.

He shrugged, not really knowing why he asked. He'd spent the many years of his life trying to make something of himself, something better. For Obito, for Rin. And finally for his new team. Well, newer. Six years kinda took the shine off.

Her words had reminded him of all the times he'd tried to muster the courage to talk to Rin, to apologize at least. He knew years ago she'd needed him. Needed him to help her overcome the initial grief at Obito's death. But... would she still want him in her life? As a friend? Someone who understood her pain because it was the same.

Sakura edged a glance at him, trying not to be too obvious as she stared. He wouldn't have noticed anyway, she discovered. His thoughts were a mess. She was tempted to ask. But, knowing Kakashi he'd just shrug it off and either make a joke or tell her he didn't feel well. His ability to keep things locked up was admirable, but saddening to her.

So, she settled for simply tugging him to a stop. "We're here."

He looked up at her apartment door. "So we are."

"Thanks for walking me home." She released his arm and took a few steps forward. She watched him for a while, hands behind her back.

He started to reply, but she cut him off.

"Time never really heals no matter what they say, Kakashi."

He didn't know where her words had come from. But he did relish the hug she gave him, trying to ignore the soft curve of her body against his. She was taller, he noted. And the smell of jasmine in her hair was comforting. He briefly felt lips on his cheek, through the blue of his mask.

She drew back and smiled. "Night." And then she turned and went into her apartment, the door clicking shut behind her.

He stood there for a long while, hands still in his pockets just as he stood before Rin's door time again. This time it was for different reasons. He wasn't sure whether it was due to this thoughts, her mysterious yet insightful words, or his own confusion at all of her actions tonight.

"No... it doesn't," he found himself replying to her earlier comment about time before walking away into the night, the warmth of her kiss pricking his senses.


	4. Chapter 4

**..Chapter Four..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

Tsunade sat waiting in her office, sake in her hand. The bottle was off to the side. All paper work had been cleared from the top of her desk. Done or not, she did not need anything distracting her on her desk when she finally gave the news to the team. Only one file sat there before her. A report from Shikamaru. It didn't take the kid long to get his information, it seemed.

She'd already looked it over and she wasn't looking forward her own orders. Not at all. It was too dangerous. She had no choice though. The oddity would not go away. Nara had no clue how to be rid of it. He only knew the energy it emitted was a nonfluctuating stream. While it was good it wasn't growing it still wasn't good it wasn't ebbing away either.

She couldn't leave it there. And she didn't fancy babysitting it until it went away. Other villages would eventually notice. And regardless of how much care she took into keeping it confidential the risk was too high.

Sakura and black haired shadow master had both deemed the entity safe. Coming back should not be a problem. He'd assured her the wormhole was a doorway. And like any door it had an exit. The same exit could be used to return. This he knew without a doubt. And if anything went wrong after they entered all they had to do was send a massive overload of chakra from their bodies. It would disrupt the entity enough to 'spit them back out', as he put it.

The whole thing had her uneasy... and she hated being put between a rock a hard place. However, if anyone could come out of this mission successful it would be Team Kakashi.

The knock sounded at her door.

"Come."

All four team mates came into her office with mixed looks. None of them had been informed previously that they might be doing this accept Kakashi. She watched as the four of them stood before her.

"You all know about the entity."

They nodded.

She sighed and interlaced her fingers together on the desk. "I have a complicated mission for you. It's above any rank on the books. I wouldn't even call it ANBU class." She rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to prepare for this. When she dropped her hand her eyes turned to them all.

"Team Kakashi," she addressed them with a voice of command, "You're mission is to go to The Valley of End and engage the entity. You will enter it and try to find out how to remove it's presence." She paused, trying to gauge their reactions. Either they were too shocked at her orders to speak or didn't have any problems with this. "You may take whatever items you think are needed with you. But only needed ones." Her eyes narrowed. "I don't think I need to impress on any of you the delicacy of this mission. We're talking about time here. And we have no idea what to expect."

"How... how do we get back home?" Naruto sputtered, obviously worried. She wasn't surprised. The whole ordeal was out of the ordinary.

"After we figure out how to get rid of it that is..."

"Shikamaru has informed me a large burst of chakra emitted from your body will send you back. That is if you get stuck." She turned to look at Kakashi. "On the other side of the hole will be an exit just like it. If you have no problems you'll wind up wherever it opens to on the other side."

"After that?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah," agreed Sakura, "we don't even know what's on the other side. How are we suppose to get rid of it?" This whole thing sounded like a bad idea. "Don't you think we should wait until we have more information?"

Tsunade shook her head and downed her sake. "I'd love to. I don't have that luxury. Shikamaru has told me to get any more information out of this object would take years of study. Years, Sakura. Do you know what that means?"

"Hmmm..." Naruto offered through narrowed eyes. "It means our enemies will have time to find out about it."

"Itachi," Sasuke muttered with venom in his voice.

Tsunade nodded. "Understand, I don't enjoy giving you this careful task. But know I wouldn't trust anyone else with it. We're talking about a gateway in time. Our time. We have no idea to when it leads or where. I'm trusting you all to be cautious and only stick around long enough to get rid of the entity. Alright?"

"Yes," all three replied. Kakashi nodded.

"Very well. Be safe." She gave them one more long, good look. As if trying memorize their features. "You're dismissed."

ooo

All four lone figures dashed through the forest. A hawk was in flight overhead. It's loud screech signified they were close. Sasuke gave a nod to everyone and they nodded back. Their footbeats on the tree branches were unheard, silent and barely left a visible memory of them passing through.

Sasuke glanced over at the flash of dark green and deep pink. He watched the burst of chakra from her booted foot leave a small trace of injury in the bark. He smirked as ebony strands whipped over his features.

Sakura had grown up quite a bit. Naruto was right. She'd changed. He was happy for it. And while he missed the blushing fangirl from days of old, the new, confident woman who gave him a sisterly hug was a welcome change. He'd thought about her in the years that passed. He even thought of dating her for a while when he returned. After Itachi was taken care of he would have to begin taking care of his responsibilities. One of them included finding a wife and having children. He need heirs to revive the Uchiha clan. And while his social skills had improved over the years with Kakashi's guidance he was still nervous about the prospect.

His childhood had never been easy; at least before the death of his family. His father had always been an overbearing disciplinarian. His mother made up for it much of the time. And his brother... well, that was the confusing part. Sasuke, despite all his years living in hatred and regret, still had a hard time stomaching what Itachi had done. He'd never been an easy person to read. But he'd never displayed anything but love in regards to Sasuke.

So why... he found himself asking, and not for the first time, had he done it? Everything in his character argued otherwise. From killing his best friend to killing their parents. And years later, when Kakashi had broached the subject, Sasuke admitted he saw something betraying his brother's eyes that night. He'd taken the time to think about it then as he was now.

And Sasuke knew he wasn't a bad judge of character. Kakashi had commented on it more than once in regards to Stalker. The red shouldered hawk helped guide him in that respect more soundly than before he left Leaf.

It was humorous now that he thought on it. Originally he'd taken the hawk with him to relay messages to Konoha during their trek. But as the years passed he'd become increasing close to the feathered creature. He'd become a valuable asset during information gathering. He was also a good friend. He found the more time he spent with Stalker the more he aligned his chakra with him and easier it was to understand him. He finally understood why Kiba kept so close to Akamaru.

Stalker let out another high pitched screech. Sasuke drew his attention upward. "We're there, Kakashi."

The tall, silver haired former ANBU agent kept his gaze ahead. "Alright." Once they reached the clearing all four members stopped and landed gracefully on the stone surface. The water rushing over the edge of the two lone figures. Kakashi looked up and gazed.

"Kakashi, there." Sakura pointed.

He turned towards her pointing finger. There in the center of the water, right at the base of the falls, was the entity Tsunade told them about. It swirled inward. Blue and black energy mixed with what looked like white flecks resembling stars. Electricity bounced around the edges.

"Weird..." murmured Naruto.

Sasuke just narrowed his gaze as Stalker landed on his shoulder, wings fluttering back into place. "Hn.. Kakashi."

"Yes?"

He pointed up the two tall statues. "Who are they?"

"You don't know?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Really?" Asked Sakura with surprise.

Sasuke shrugged, one hand on his hip. "Why, should I?"

Sakura pursed her lips. "Now that I think about it you were absent from the Academy the day we reviewed the history of this place in class."

"I don't remember myself." Naruto blinked.

Sakura smiled. "No, I'm sure you wouldn't." She sighed and looked up at the two historical figures frozen in time. A gentle breeze came by and tussled her hair. "But I would have thought an Uchiha descendant would know the story. Very well," she smiled and pointed to the figure on the left. "That is the man known as Uchiha Madara, one of the oldest known members of the Uchiha clan. And the other is the First."

Sasuke and Naruto nodded.

"I recognize him now that you mention it," Naruto murmured looking up.

"Hn... we were told about Madara in the clan as children. I've never seen his face though." He paused, still looking. "He killed his brother, right?"

Sakura nodded. "Yep, the reason is lost to history though. Either that or too confidential to repeat. Anyway, a great battle ensued here between those two. Madara wanted to be the first Hokage. He felt affronted when the village chose Hashirama instead. You see, he was one of the first people to bring the village of Leaf into being."

Kakashi nodded. "That's right. And a great battle broke out. Madara used his Sharingan to call the Kyuubi to the battle. Some even speculate he was the one who brought it to Leaf years later."

"You can control a Bijuu with the Sharingan?" Sasuke blinked in surprise.

Kakashi shrugged. "I've been told. But no one else has ever been able to do it since then."

Sasuke looked over at Naruto. Neither said anything.

"We need to get going," Sakura suddenly said.

"We do." Kakashi looked over at his three team mates. "Do you have everything you need?"

They nodded.

"Very well. I'm going to go over everything with you one more time before we leave. Pay attention." He paused as their eyes settled on him. "This is a delicate mission. Tsunade has trusted us with it's completion. We are to enter the wormhole, find it's cause and erase it's existence. Nothing more." He paused again, making sure they were listening still; making sure they understood the missions seriousness. "We're not to dawdle. Running around in another time, the past, can have serious repercussions on the future. Even being there is a bad idea. Let's make this as quick as possible. Understood?"

"Yes, Kakashi."

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei."

"Yes, sensei."

All three agreed and he gave a single node before turning to the swirl of black and blue. "You three will go in first one at a time. I'll follow afterward to keep a cover on your backs. Alright? Go."

In a quick pace all three members were ahead of him. It didn't take long for each one to disappear in a flash of light beyond the darkening shadows of the wormhole. Kakashi had to smile at their lack of hesitation. They were no longer those same kids who'd fought over two small silver bells. And even after all the years they'd spent apart they were still operating as a team.

As he lept forward and into the darkness, expecting to fly through a void he found a pain in his chest. Second later he was engulfed in cold water. He pulled upward, coughing and broke the surface of the water. It was then he realized, dread slicing through his gut, he had never made it through like the rest of them. They were in there, alone and god only knows were. Without his guidance. Kakashi, for some reason had been...

Denied entry.

ooo

The first thing Sakura saw was darkness. An unending room of darkness. It seemed to go on for miles. She couldn't even hardly see beyond her own nose. She looked down at her hands, trying to adjust her eyes. Barely, just barely, she could see the pale skin of her hands.

Where the hell were they? A cave? She didn't feel a stone surface or gravel beneath her feet. She took a step back, bumping into someone. She turned swiftly and hands grabbed her upper arms.

"Sakura?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Sasuke."

From behind now someone touch her her shoulder. "Naruto?"

"Yeah. I was afraid I lost you back there. Both of you. Where the hell are we?"

Sakura tried to look around, her eyes narrowing. She still couldn't see anything, not even her team mates. "I've no idea. Did anyone bring a flashlight?" Their silence was enough of an answer for her. She wanted to smack them both. However, she hadn't brought one either.

"Sasuke, see if you can read anything in the darkness with your Sharingan." It sounded more like an order than a request. "We need to find Kakashi."

He released her and instead took her hand. "Alright. Naruto, take her other hand. We need to stay together in here."

Sakura felt a warm hand take her other one and smiled slightly as she waited for Sasuke to use his clan technique. A few moments passed. "Well?"

"Hm... " He shut his eyes and dispelled the technique. "Nothing. There's nothing but endless darkness." He turned as Stalker gave a screech. He understood immediately. "Of course," he muttered feeling like an idiot.

"What'd bird brain say?" It sounded like Naruto.

He grunted at the rude nickname but answered anyway. The situation was too dire for him to start an argument. "His eyes are nearly a hundred times better than the human eyes in the dark. And even he says he can't see shit."

"That is a problem," muttered Sakura. "What are we suppose to do now? If he can't see this isn't normal darkness. We must still be in the wormhole."

"Then why aren't we moving?" Naruto asked.

"Maybe we have to find the exit ourselves?" This from Sasuke.

"A good guess, shinobi of Leaf. A good guess indeed. But none of them are correct entirely." A voice echoed around them.

All three members of team Kakashi tensed up. Their eyes dashed around, but nothing was made visible to them. Nothing.

"Who are you? Where is Kakashi-sense?" Naruto demanded, his free hand holding a kunai.

"You mean the son of The White Fang?" The voice seemed to muse. "At least that's what my mind can... recall. How irritating." He sounded like he was grumbling to himself.

"Please," Sakura spoke up, "we've come here with a mission regarding the wormhole. Is it your doing? Do you know where Kakashi is?"

There was a long silence and Sakura felt Sasuke tense up next to her. The grip he had on her hand tightened. And then the voice was speaking again.

"Hm, you'll have to excuse me. A few millennia of existence and your mind tends to fog up. Allow me to shed some light on the situation, hm?"

Above them a brilliant light suddenly shone down. All three looked up and Sakura released their hands. She drew them up to cover eyes narrowing them as she tried to see above her. Just then ahead of them, another light turned on above a short figure.

She blinked.

There, under the white light from who knows where, stood a short, feeble looking old man. His head was bald save for the long hair starting around his temples that flowed down his back and across his shoulders. He was covered in white robing. In the center of this robing was a silver stitched symbol.

Her eyes widened.

It was the Leaf symbol and yet... it wasn't. Around it was what looked like an hourglass.

His face was ridden with wrinkles but looked kind to her green eyes. His were large and black with a hint of blue. His nose was as round as his cheeks and his ears were pointy and elven-like.

When he spoke, it was in a soft and kind voice. It was almost feminine and nothing like the booming echo from earlier.

His rested on Naruto. "Uzumaki Naruto, The Red Demon of Konoha." Then they turned to next one in line. "Haruno Sakura, also know as the master of One Million Flower Strikes. And Uchiha Sasuke," he said finally, turning his eyes to the ebony haired male, "apprentice to the Copy Nin Kakashi. You I know by one name only. Revealer Of Secrets."

He smiled and addressed them as one, his hands spread wide. "I welcome you all, to the Gates of Time."


	5. Chapter 5

**..Chapter Five..**

**..**

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**..**

The final statement swirled around Sakura's mind. She was glad for the light, she was glad for a face to match the voice; however, none of them still had any clue as to where Kakashi was. The old man just stood there, smiling like a fool with his hands behind his back; as if he was happy with his little speech and it explained it all. She wasn't exactly angry. But patience had not always been her key trait. Naruto was known for being utterly impatient. Sasuke only impatient about things he had high emotional connections to. And Sakura usually placed herself somewhere in the middle of the two.

"You're wondering what's going on, I know," he spoke with a smile wide enough to almost close his eyes. "But first allow me to let you know your teacher is fine. He was merely denied entrance with you three."

"Why? What's going on here? Who are you?" Naruto demanded, hand still holding the kunai.

The old man laughed in amusement. "Calms down, Naruto. All will be revealed in good time. But please, put away that weapon. You have no need of it here. For now you are safe."

"Hn... for now? What is that suppose to mean?" Sasuke's voice was low, not once revealing how he felt. And yet a hint of arrogance was laden there too.

Sakura wanted to ask him questions as well. Like, what those nicknames were he'd called them. She'd never heard such things. Demon? Revealer? Flower Strikes? And why wasn't Kakashi allowed to come with them?

"I don't have time answer your questions, I'm afraid. I only have enough to explain what's going on." He sighed. "You must know I've wasted enough already waiting for you."

"Waiting? For us?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

He nodded. "My name is Eon. I'm the Guardian of the Time Gate in this lay line; and you three are whom I've chosen as my Trinity. A keystone, if you will, of three beings whose actions heavily affect one particular lay line."

"Why us?" Naruto asked. "And why isn't Kakashi here?"

"Kakashi isn't here because of where you're going."

"Going?" Naruto blinked.

"Shut up, dropout." Sasuke grunted. "Can't you see he's trying to explain? The more questions we ask the less time he has to explain."

Sakura looked over at Sasuke. "You trust him?"

"You think we have a choice? Our mission was to come here and find a way to get rid of the wormhole. Right?"

"And the wormhole will disappear," the old man assured them. "For now it's already gone on your side to prevent anymore interference or trouble for Leaf. But once you have completed what I need of you, all will be set back to normal. I promise you."

"Gone? Are you serious?" Naruto narrowed his eyes and looked ready to take a step forward. But Sasuke was next to him in a flash, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder. His eyes were narrowed but soft.

"Calm down, Naruto." He glanced at Stalker on his shoulder and then back at him. "Stalker says he's telling the truth. And you and I both know how good he is at reading people. So, for now, let's hear him out, ok?"

Begrudgingly, he nodded. "You know I don't like anyone giving me ultimatums, no matter how nice they sound."

"I know." Sasuke turned back to the robed being. "We've wasted enough of your time already. Our mission was to get rid of the wormhole. You've already done that. So tell me why we have to stick around."

He nodded. "I understand your lack of trust. It's a good quality and one of the reasons you've been chosen for this task." He gave another sigh. His face looked suddenly weary. As if age had finally caught up with him in that single moment. "My duty is to make sure the flow of time is untouched and untainted by anyone. The Trinity is only called when something dire happens. Mainly because one Guardian never knows when they will be born. And nine times out of ten that time comes too late. In this instance, thankfully, I can still do something to change what has been wronged."

He took closed his eyes a moment and then waved his hand to the side. Another light appeared. It almost did no good, as the figure shown was swathed in darkness. He or she was tall; but hidden beneath a cloak. All three ninja turned their eyes to the shadow as he explained.

"This man is the reason behind my wormhole and your presence here. His identity is unknown to me." He frowned. "Namely because his interference has ridden my mind with holes. My memories are indeed foggy but, if needed, I can recall almost any memory with amazing clarity." He turned his eyes back to them as the shadow disappeared.

"My request of you is simple. Go to where I send you and complete a number of tasks this enemy to history has changed. You are to correct them and make sure his plan, whatever it is, never comes to completion."

All three were quiet for a long while.

Sakura rubbed her jawline, her eyes narrowed in deep thought. The whole thing sounded like a big hoax. A genjutsu taken to a whole new level. But, Sasuke had told Naruto the old man wasn't lying. And she knew it wasn't genjutsu.

She looked over at Sasuke and then to Naruto. "Well, should we trust him?"

Naruto raised his brows. "What do you think Sasuke?"

He sighed. "I'm still a Genin and so are you, dropout. If anyone is team leader here and level headed enough to make a decision it's Sakura." His eyes settled on here. "What do you want to do, Sakura?"

"Me?" She blinked, a little surprised he thought so highly of her.

"You're the Jounin," he stated as if it was the most obvious reason.

"Yeah, but..."

Naruto grinned and placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning on her body slightly with one hand on his hip. "Yeah, Sakura-chan. Plus, your the most capable to make decisions. That and you keep me and bastard from fighting, hm?"

"Naruto..." her voice was soft. Her eyes looked back and forth between the two of them. She hadn't seen them in years. In many ways they had changed just like her. Before, Sasuke would have simply told her he would take the lead. Naruto would argue and a fight would occur. But now, she realized, Sasuke had named her team leader not only because he trusted her with his life...which, by the way--wow, but to avoid an argument with Naruto. She was a neutral balance for the two. And he must have known Naruto would agree because of how he'd always treated her.

"That's no surprise," the ancient man said. "You are the center of Trinity. And that center point is the balance in every keystone." He smiled.

She nodded. "Very well." She gave the two men next to her one more long glance before turning to the Guardian. "These events you speak of, the ones that have been changed, do they really affect time that much?"

He nodded. "I can't give you the details. Not because I don't want to. But because I can't remember. I know about as much as you do right now. What I do know is, if you don't help me fix what has been wronged, the world as you know it will almost cease to resemble the place you all know."

She nodded. "Ok... I admit I don't like this. I know my team mates don't either. However, all the signs, the evidence, tells me you're telling the truth. And if this is really as bad as you say it is, I'll go along with it for now. What do we need to do?"

He looked relieved all of sudden. "Thank you. I could have easily forced your hand but, it's much easier with your willing cooperation." He chuckled at their shocked expressions and waved his hand one more time, his line of vision shooting to the direction of his hand. A window of haze appeared, and in the scene shown was a young man in trouble.

Sakura gasped and took a step towards it. The boy in the image was half crushed beneath a rock. Already her mind was going through possibilities on how to save him like a meticulous machine. What procedure would be best and how execute it.

"This young man is the first challenge in a line of many. And unfortunately you only have one shot at this. I can't afford for you to appear in the same place twice if this goes wrong. He must survive."

"That's insane!" Naruto shouted. "His right arm, leg and possibly half of his body is crushed under solid rock. What do you expect us to do?"

The old man arched his brows, placed his hands behind his back and turned briefly to Naruto before landing his eyes on Sakura with a half smile. "You've already figured it out haven't you?"

She blinked and tore her gaze away from the image once she realized he was talking to her. Putting on her professional expression she nodded. "I've only seen it done one time. It's entirely possible to reconstruct a body that's been reduced to pieces, or in this case smashed flat." She frowned, looking at the boy in the 'window'. "However, it's only ever been preformed on people who are already deceased to ascertain identity. I've been working on a method for using it on living people for a few years now... but... " she sighed. "The task is impossible because it requires the chakra link of at least twenty people to keep the subject alive long enough to heal them. And that's just a theory."

"But you already have all the chakra you need."

She blinked. "What do you mean?"

Naruto took a step forward. "He means me, Sakura." His eyes turned from her to Eon. "The Kyuubi, right?"

He nodded. "Yes. Between you and Sasuke, Sakura should have enough time to save this boy. From there I can tell you nothing more. Everything will reveal in good time after he's saved."

"When do we leave?" Sasuke asked, obviously ready to get going. The sooner they did this the sooner he could go home and the sooner he and his team could kill Itachi.

He smiled. "It's funny you should ask that." He waved his hand and weird starry energy started to whirl around them. "Good luck and don't be too shocked by the altering of your ages."

"What?" Sakura cried out just as the darkness and image of Eon faded from sight. What the hell was that suppose to mean? But she was too late in asking seemed. Because all she could see was darkness and the swirling of stars. A storm whipped about her features, causing her hair to slap her face annoyingly; painfully, almost.

She cried out the names of her team mates. She waited and thought she heard a reply but, it was too faint. Their voices were carried on the wind. She tried again but only got the same result with each attempt. She was starting to become worried as the swirl of unending black and blue danced around her eyes.

As soon as she began to wonder if it would go on forever she suddenly felt a firmness beneath her feet. Her eyes were shut tight and her hands in front of her face. She almost lost her balance with the sudden gravity change.

Green depths slowly blinked open as someone steadied her. Her eyes locked with Sasuke's and once more she breathed a sigh of relief. The day was really wound with surprises. Her eyes stared a bit longer and she blinked, realization washing over her as she gasped. "Sasuke! You're... you're.."

"I know... " he muttered as his jaw set. Obviously he already knew and didn't like it one bit. "We've all been changed accept Stalker." He pointed to the hawk still on his shoulder.

Her eyes narrowed and she reached a hand up, looking at her features in the metal plate of the wrist guards. Her eyes widened. "I'm thirteen years old again," she half whispered in shock.

"How do you know the exact age?" He asked. That deduction would make him and Naruto thirteen as well.

She pointed to a small, tiny scar on the underside of her jawline. It looked fresh and only just starting to heal. "Because, I got this during my thirteenth birthday when Ino accidentally hit me with a tray of food. The sharp edge caught me on collision. It was shortly after you and Naruto left."

"Well, our clothes haven't changed."

"No... that's true..."

"Sasuke! Sakura! Hurry!"

Both teens looked in the direction they heard Naruto's voice. Across the small expanse of the room was the bolder the guardian had told them off. And Naruto was kneeling next to the boy who was half crushed. He looked over at them. "We have to hurry, he's lost a lot of blood."

Sakura and Sasuke dashed to his side and the pink haired shinobi acted quickly. Carefully her hands were placed on the bolder as she prepared to move it with chakra.

"You can't seriously expect to move that thing, can you?" Sasuke asked. "Even I can't do that."

"Hn," she muttered. "My shishou is Tsunade-sama, Sasuke. Her medical knowledge is not the only thing I've learned during your time away." Without waiting for his response she drew a blue-green glow into her hands and pushed the large bolder aside with careful precision. She didn't need to make his injuries worse.

As soon as that was done she knelt down on the side of him that been formerly covered. Her sharp, green eyes took in the damage. Thankfully, only his arm and leg were caught under the damage. They were utterly flattened into a messy mix of blood and tissue, probably the worst she'd ever encountered in a living patient, but it was not something that couldn't be corrected. That is if he was still alive.

She reached over and checked his pulse. It was slow, drifting and steady, but she could detect the faint heartbeat. "He's still alive. We need to act fast."

"What do we do, Sakura?" Sasuke asked.

"Place your hands just above his chest, Sasuke. Naruto," she turned her attention to the blond, "you do the same, but with either side of his head. For right now I'm going to make a quick scan of his body for any other injuries. Don't do anything until I say so."

They nodded.

Her hands reached out and she closed her eyes, allowing her chakra to travel from her body and into his. As it flooded out, traveling through his system and back to her she was happy to find he had no other life threatening problems. It wasn't an extensive scan, but enough for her to go to work.

She heard a groan as she stopped and opened her eyes. A single coal eye greeted her as the injured boy turned to stare at her. "Rin?" He rasped. "I told you to leave. You shouldn't be here... the rock ninja..." He coughed. "Kakashi..."

Sakura's eyes widened. She wanted to ask him more. However, first and foremost he needed medical attention. She had to go to work. "Shh... I'm not Rin. We're here to help you. Just relax." She looked up at Naruto. "I need you to release your chakra in a steady stream to his brain. The flow will keep him alive and his brain active." When he nodded she turned to Sasuke. "You have a more taxing job. Your chakra flow must be exact and never changing more so than Naruto's. You have to keep his lungs from stopping and his chakra flow moving. Even one mistake and he could be done for. I'll assist you while I reconstruct his arm and leg. But mostly you'll be on your own." She paused. "Can you handle it?"

He nodded, worry in his eyes, but no hesitation. "My chakra control has gotten better. I can manage, Sakura."

"Good." It was all she needed to hear before turning back to the boy. "I need you to stay awake for me, kid. I need you to keep talking. Alright?"

The boy nodded. "I'll do my best."

"Ok." She turned her attention to his arm and leg. Both would have to be worked on at the same time if she had any home of saving him. Otherwise the blood loss would be too great. "Sasuke, keep blood from flowing away of his injuries unless my chakra begins to pull it that way. Understood?"

"Yes."

Her hands hovered over either limb to either side of her. As she began to draw chakra into her hands she spoke. "On my mark, begin." She waited until they'd caught up with her; poised and waiting for her command. "Now." She started with a slow but steady flow. Her mind felt damaged veins, muscle tissue and bone. Under normal circumstances she would have recommended removing the limbs altogether. Tsunade would have. But... if this procedure worked... she could save hundreds of shinobi from ever losing a body part again; perhaps even their lives.

"What's your name?" She asked the black haired boy. She had to keep him talking.

"Obito," he rasped, his voice cracking but slowly becoming clearer. "Uchiha Obito." His face constricted in pain.

She felt Sasuke's eyes on her and looked up, meeting his for only a brief moment. His narrowed slightly. "What happened here?" She asked, slowly breaking the ebony haired male's gaze. Questions could be asked later. Healing him first was the priority.

"Rin," he whispered, "we had to save her. Two Rock nin attacked us and abducted her." He winced again. "I told Kakashi we had to save her. He didn't want to listen, stubborn ass. Said we needed to complete the mission first."

Sakura just stared. Was he talking about the same Kakashi she knew? "Hatake Kakashi?"

"You know him?"

Her lips twitched slightly. "You could say that..."

He nodded. "I left him and ran to get Rin. Whatever I said must have made him change his mind because he joined me at the last moment. We took out the Rock nin and saved Rin. But, it was too late." He winced again, the pain of her healing becoming almost too great. He felt every vein, every muscle and every tear of flesh moving back into place. The injury itself was no where near as painful as her healing of it.

"We tried to escape as the ninja attacked. We were running for our lives. But, Kakashi couldn't see. His left eye had been sliced into. His vision was off and he never noticed the bolder coming in to hit him. I jumped in and pushed him aside.

"When I opened my eyes again, I was as you found me. Rin was crying and Kakashi was just sitting there. I knew there was no way to save me. I told them to go. And as a parting gift I gave Kakashi one of my eyes."

"The Sharingan?" she gasped without thinking about what she was saying.

"How did you know?" He said with a pained smile, trying not wince.

She shook her head, feeling like an idiot. This was the past, obviously. And she had to watch her words. "You're an Uchiha. Why else would you give him such a thing?"

He nodded, appearing satisfied with that answer. "Rin helped implant it. After that I told them to go. I felt Minato-sensei's chakra signature earlier. I can only assume he saved them from the Rock nin... and my signature was most likely too faint for him to notice..." He grimaced as another pain shot through him.

"Keep talking. If you stop talking this will be that much harder to accomplish, Obito-kun."

"What shall I talk about, Sakura-chan?" He smiled slightly. "I hope you know how much pain you're putting me through."

She couldn't stop the smirk that laced her features. She suppose she was stuck talking to him for now. Sasuke and Naruto's eyes were closed as they concentrated on the task at hand. After all, they were not medical nin, nor did they go through the intense training she did. She could talk and work on a body at the same time. Even one of this difficulty.

"It's a lot better than leaving you here or removing you limbs. I could just cauterize them instead."

He looked suddenly afraid for a moment. "You're not serious are you? Rin wouldn't even be that cruel."

She smiled softly and shook her head. "No, Obito-kun. That old practice was done away with many years ago just as soon as we medical nin mastered the jutsu to heal."

His brow knitted and he nodded. His one good eye traveled up to her forehead protector. It stayed there and narrowed. "You're from Leaf."

She nodded. "I am."

"Have I met you before? I know there are a lot of ninja involved in this war... but I've never seen your face before. You look to be around the same age as me... Did you graduate the Academy earlier?"

Ohh... she didn't want to lie. But she would have to it seemed. Telling him the truth could have serious repercussions. "When did you graduate?"

"Six years ago..."

"How old are you now?"

"Thirteen... why?"

She ran the numbers through her head and quickly came up with a lie. "I was eight when my team graduated."

He nodded. "You missed me by a year then." He coughed softly. "How did you get in here? The place is sealed off."

The questions were coming one after the other. She had to change the subject quickly. Thankfully, her work was almost done. Another ten minutes or so and his body would be back to normal. Well, as normal as it could be. He wouldn't be able to properly use his left arm and leg for a while. Not without physical therapy.

"We found an opening underground. I can't recall the details now." She gave a quick glance at Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto seemed to be faring pretty well. His task was simple. But Sasuke was already sweating. Despite his good chakra control his body was finally starting to tire after almost an hour of steady labor.

"How long have you been on Kakashi's team, Obito-kun?"

"Since I graduated." He closed his eyes, trying to block out the pain. "Kakashi was already working under Minato-sensei when Rin and I joined the team." He smiled softly. "I wonder... if I survive this... if I'll ever get to see that bastard again."

Sakura scoffed. "Of course you will. Do you dare doubt my abilities?"

He chuckled. "No, of course not. To graduate as young as you did you must be a very proficient medical nin. Maybe even a great as Tsunade." His eye opened and locked on hers. "Do you know her?"

"I've heard of her, but I've never spoken to her before." There was a pause. "I've been told she's very busy with the war."

He nodded. "Neither have I. But I've been told much the same thing." He looked sad. "She lost her brother in this bloodshed you know... and her lover..."

"I know..." Her voice was a whisper. She took the moment of silence to reflect on her shishou. It had been two years ago her teacher had told her of the story; the death of her brother. As well as the of the loss of Dan. Both had weighed heavily on her for years after that. And her work as a medical nin came to a deadly halt when her fear of blood started. She'd been told her work had been limited to information gathering missions after that. The order had come from the Third. And after the war was over she left the village with his blessing. She'd told her he'd probably wanted to give her time to heal and going away might help her.

It wasn't until Naruto and Jiraiya had found her and the blond challenged her she'd come back to senses. The fear of blood left her in the fight against Kabuto at the risk of losing Naruto. She told Sakura, at the moment, she saw the spitting image of her little brother in Naruto.

"Are you alright, Sakura-chan?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm fine, Obito-kun. How do you feel?"

He paused for a long while. She looked down, noting that aside from a few scratches his arm and leg were completely repaired. "Try to move your fingers." She kept her gaze on his hand, bloodied and tattered cloth of his shirt and jacket littered around it. Faintly, she saw a digit move.

"There's some feeling back... but it took all my strength to do that."

"I figured as much. It's going to take time for you to regain complete use of them. A lot of physical therapy." It sucked, but she knew that when she started this. "Alright, Sasuke, Naruto. You can withdraw. We're done."

Both boys gave a long sigh as soon as they released their chakra waves. Sasuke grunted, winced and grabbed his chest. Naruto had to steady him with an uneven breath.

"You alright, bastard?"

He nodded, gripping his chest. "Just tired. That was a lot harder that I imagined."

"Thank you, both. It would have been impossible without you." Sakura smiled. She watched as Sasuke smirked and Naruto just grinned sheepishly.

"Sakura-chan?"

She looked down at Obito. "Yes?"

"Can you take a look at my eye? I know you've worked hard... I'm not sure if you have any energy left... but.."

She nodded. "I've probably got enough to take a look at your missing eye." She reached for his arm and Naruto helped her lift him into a sitting position. "Go ahead and open it up for me." He did so, his lid shaking as he revealed the hallow darkness to her. Her eyes narrowed in thought as she examined it. "Hm... everything seems fine. I can see where the girl, Rin, sealed the wounds. Does it hurt?"

He nodded.

"Probably because it's still fresh. I'd give you a pain pill... but we need to get moving. And if your drowsy we'll have a harder time of it." If the war was still going on they couldn't risk being found by the enemy. The Third Great Ninja War took many lives. And she had no idea at what exact point in time they were. She knew it was close to the end... based on her history knowledge... but beyond that she was at a loss.

After all, Kakashi had never talked to her about his team. She'd never even heard of Obito or this Rin girl until today.

Obito nodded. "I just need help standing up. If someone steadies my left side I think I can mange."

Sakura looked to Naruto. "Both Sasuke and I are pretty drained. We're not like you, Naruto. Think you can carry him for a while if I blast us out of here?"

The blond nodded with an enthusiastic grin. "Yup!"

She smiled. "Good. I'm going to look for a weak point in the wall. Try and get him to stand up and move around while I work. Sasuke, you're with me."

The ebony haired male nodded and slowly got up as Naruto went about assisting Obito. He ignored the conversation behind him as she joined Sakura across the room, mimicking her movements by feeling the wall. When he was sure neither Naruto or Obito were paying attention to them he began to talk to her.

His voice was a low whisper. "This explains a lot about Kakashi."

Her hand ran along the cracks and bumps, eyes narrowing in concentration. "Not a lot, in my opinion. In all the time you were away with him did he ever tell you about his team?"

Sasuke shook his head and gave another look over his shoulder at the two men. "No. He hates talking about it. The most I ever got him to mention was he learned a valuable lesson in his career because of a good friend's death."

"Hm.." she deliberated, "I can only guess he meant Obito... " her lips pursed as she paused a moment. "But... why would Eon want us to save him? I'd think the loss played a pretty important role in Kakashi becoming the man we know him to be."

Sasuke shrugged. "You're probably right. But look at it this way; Kakashi already thinks he's dead. Otherwise someone besides us would be here to save him. He said his sensei would have, remember?"

She nodded. "You think this was suppose to happen? But maybe someone else was suppose to save him? Making Kakashi still think he was dead?"

He nodded. "I do. In that manner he would have still learned a valuable lesson about his team."

She ran her fingers across the wall. "But who would have saved him?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I have no idea. Who knows? We were here and he's fine now. That's the important part. The question is, what do we do next?"

She smirked. "Still calling me team leader?"

He nodded. "You are the highest ranking of the three of us. And so far your choices have been good ones. I see no reason to change that."

"Very well. It might be a big risk, but we need to return to Leaf. Obito needs medical attention. And I have a feeling whatever we need to accomplish next will be found there." She stopped, her hand pausing on a crevice.

Sasuke's eyes drew to her poised hand. "Find something?"

"Yup. Stand back."

He lept away a few steps behind her, finding himself next to Naruto and Obito. A moment later Sakura's chakra inflamed hand went through the wall, bursting rock and dust in her wake. The cloud settled slowly and revealed her standing at the opening with a smile.

"Let's get going. Quickly. I'm not sure how long this opening will hold. And we have a lot of ground to cover tonight." She jumped out and into the night, shortly afterward, as she dashed into the mushroom laden trees she felt three chakra signatures behind her. She knew Sasuke was tired. As tired as she was. But they could rest as soon a daylight hit. They were in enemy territory as far as she knew. And the risk of sleeping at night didn't appeal to her.

As the trees passed her by her mind lingered onward. Her thoughts drifted to Kakashi and the short conversation they'd had the night at Yin's. She hadn't meant to be so... coy with him. But it was so obvious by the look on his face he was fighting his own demons more fervently than ever.

Maybe when she was a girl she'd been too infatuated with Sasuke to notice. Maybe she was too busy trying to keep the guys from killing themselves. There were any number of possibilities. But now that she was stuck in the past, in a world she had only read about in history, she could help but wonder about her former sensei. Because, it seemed no matter what happened, she was going to find out why he avoided the past as richly as she use to avoid a fight.

And despite the dangers possibly lingering around her as they moved through the night, the idea of finding out what hurt the man so much, what made that pain in his eyes more real each time she saw him, made her all the more determined.

Perhaps saving Obito was the first step of many in this journey ahead of them.

Who knew what the old man, the Guardian as he called himself, had in mind. He said he himself had no clue what their next task would be. Would he come tell them when the time was right? Would it involve Kakashi? She had to wonder. Obviously many things were going to be revealed to them about her old sensei as they went on with these tasks.

What was he like now? Was he as withdrawn as she knew him to be? Or was he soft and kind in his young age? Had he already returned to Leaf? As far as she could tell they were on border of Fire Country. She'd taken this path before many times with other teams as the medical nin of the group. It shouldn't take more than a few days travel even with Obito slowing them down. How far behind Obito's team were they? A few hours? A few days? Had they used a transportation scroll to get back? Such things were expensive and hard to some by because of the complicated jutsu involved. Mainly only used when a team mate's injuries were too bad to heal them on sight. And you were lucky if you had one at all.

Sakura would use her own... but this was a different time. Would the same jutsu work here? The range on it was about fifteen miles from Leaf. Even if she did use it they'd still have to travel a good way. At least two and half days.

She started to slow down as soon as she felt Naruto and Sasuke come to halt. She turned and noted her own body was growing weary. She jumped down to the ground beneath and they did the same. Her breathing was erratic and she wiped her brow. She noticed daylight was starting to peak over the horizon. It wasn't as early in the evening as she'd first thought.

"Alright, we'll make camp here."

"You sure, Sakura?" This from a panting Sasuke.

She nodded and stepped forward. "If we push ourselves much harder after all that it won't be good for any of us." She pulled her pack off in the small clearing and started pulling out her sleeping bag. "Naruto, set him down on my bag."

"If he's taking your bed you can have mine," Sasuke told her.

She arched a brow up at him as Naruto laid the black haired Uchiha down on her mat. "You don't have to be so chivalrous. I'll be fine."

"Take mine then," Naruto offered. "I'm not as tired as the rest of you. I'll take first watch and switch with Sasuke in a few hours."

She thought about arguing but realized his logic. The Kyuubi could keep him going for a few hours more. Logic and good sense won out over her stubborn nature and she nodded her ascent. "Alright, leave him there and go gather wood for a fire."

Moments later he was gone and Sasuke pulled out his own bag. He was so tired sleep quickly took him and Stalker took to perching on a low ground tree branch, finally succumbing himself.

Sakura gave a long sigh and pulled out an energy bar. She looked over at Obito. "You should get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us."

He looked over at her, the eyebrow over his good eye arching. He said nothing. Eventually he just went back to staring at the sky above, his face expressionless. Sakura stared at him for a while. She knew he was tired. He had to be. But, she imagined a lot was on his mind as well. She supposed if she were in his position she'd be hard pressed to fall asleep as well.

The long years she'd spent as a medical nin, dealing with injured and emotionally scarred people had taught her sometimes talking after a traumatic helped. Did he need that? In a way he reminded her of Naruto when he was still a boy. And Naruto always needed a good ear. Before he left she'd been that shoulder he leaned on.

"Do you want to talk about anything?" She asked, finally settling on her choice.

He didn't look at her. His one good eyes seemed lost in thought. She wasn't sure if he heard her at all.

"Obito-kun?"

He smiled slightly. "I heard you. I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"My team."

She nodded and pulled an energy bar from her pack as she sat next to him in the grass. "I figured as much.... what are they like?" She didn't want to admit it, but she was curious about Kakashi; the boy he use to be.

"Where do I start?" He said more to himself that her. "Well, I guess I could begin with Minato-sensei..."

She knew the name... but she didn't know if he meant the Fourth or not. It would be pretty amazing to find out Kakashi had been trained by The Yellow Flash Of Konoha.

He smiled softly. "He's a great man you know. They call him The Yellow Flash." He chuckled. "When he comes at you you never see it until it's too late. It's an instant teleportation jutsu only he's mastered. Well, as far as I know, anyway... Jiraiya-sama trained him. One of the great Sanin." His good eye turned to look at her. "I'm sure you know about him."

_If you only knew,_ she thought to her self but nodded nonetheless.

His eye turned back to the skies. "Then there's Rin. She's a medical nin like you. But her skills are no where near your level, I can tell you that much." A faint blush danced across his cheeks. "She's still the most perfect person I've ever met, though." He sighed.

She smiled a little. Yes, in many ways he was just like Naruto. She knew that torn look all too well. It was the same, silly, defeated look Naruto use to give when she turned down his dates. "You're in love with her?"

He paused... but then nodded. "Since the first day I saw her." He frowned. "But... she's in love with Kakashi. She's never said it. But I can tell by the way she acts around him."

Yes, a lot like Naruto. It was an unusual twist of fate, she thought. As a young team she'd been infatuated with Sasuke and in turn Naruto had been infatuated with her. Maybe Kakashi saw that too. Maybe it's why he'd acted the way he always did with them. Because they reminded him of his old team.

Now... if Obito was 'dead' in her time.. what had happened to Rin? Why had she never met her before?

He was talking again. "Kakashi is the hard one to read..."

"What do you mean?" Her question was very nonchalant.

He shrugged. "Kakashi has always been rigid as a board. Breaking the rules was never apart of his vocabulary. Everytime I showed up late for training or a mission he told me off. It usually takes Rin to break us up."

Wow... the similarities between Naruto and Obito and Sasuke and Kakashi as a boy were uncanny. But she kept quiet to hear the rest of what he said.

"I never understood him. Not until Minato-sensei talked to me about his past..." He face looked emotionally torn.

There was no mistaking who Minato was anymore. Kakashi's teacher, The Yellow Flash, was the Fourth Hokage. Was he now? No, that couldn't be right. If this was in fact near the time the war ended... then Minato-sama wouldn't become Hokage for another year or two... right?

"Kakashi's father was The White Fang. He was revered by all his peers." He sighed and closed his eye. "But on a mission he had to choose between saving his team and completing the mission. He chose to save his team instead. In the end people hated him. Even the team mates he saved scorned him. As a result... he committed suicide because of his shame."

Sakura blinked. She'd heard the story before... yes... years ago. But she had no idea until Eon had mentioned the man was Kakashi's father. And she hadn't recalled all the details until Obito told her just then. "That's... terrible."

He nodded and looked at her. "It is. I agree. And when he wanted to leave Rin behind I told him his father was a hero. A great man." His smile was sad as his eye drift half closed and away from her. "He told me ninja who don't follow the rules are trash."

Sakura had to hold her gasp at the old speech she'd only heard from Kakashi.

"I told him... I agreed... but I also said that ninja who abandon their friends are even worse trash."

"You said that?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. At all. It was Obito who'd told Kakashi that. And Kakashi had been so apparently, deeply moved by his words, his death, that he'd made it his motto. Those same words, unknown to her former teacher at the time, had affected her more than he could ever understand. Without them she would have never become the great shinobi she was today. If Obito only knew... how many lives his words... passed on... had saved.

"I did... and I think it helped. He saved Rin after all." He chuckled. "I bet he's still the same stubborn, stick up the ass dipshit I know. I be upset if he'd changed too much."

Her lips twitched slightly. She wanted to tell him he didn't have too much to worry about that, but then he'd ask her how she knew. And that was not an explanation she wanted to get into.

"Do you know how long it will take to get home?"

"Actually, I meant to ask you about that," she responded, digging through her bag.

"Me?" He looked surprised. "You're the medic. You should be able to summarize how much time we have between now and Leaf after you've calculated in my pace."

"I know, hold on." She dug some more, pulling aside items from her bag. "Aha!" She grinned and pulled forth the teleportation scroll. She opened it and showed the writing to him. "I got this a while back. But the merchant was shady, tell me, can I use it?"

"You can't tell yourself?" He looked shocked. After all, she was obviously very proficient as a team leader. Surely something as simple as telling if a scroll was faulty or not would be a simple task.

She blushed slightly. "Ah... well... I'm pretty sure it is. But the writing is different."

He nodded, seeming satisfied and gazed it over. "Well, the kanji is different. Hm... actually, it's odd... but it looks more effective than any I've seen. We should be able to use it once were halfway there."

Her eyes bugged out of her head. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah, see the mark there." He pointed.

She looked. She'd mistaken the kanji. Either that or the merchant who sold it to her in Leaf weeks ago had. He was right. The mile number was right there. She rolled it back up. "That's good. It means we should be there by tomorrow afternoon, maybe night."

His eyes went wide. "That soon?"

She nodded. "Naruto is fast. He'll be faster after some rest. Carrying you will be no problem at all. It should only slow us done slightly. By then your team should be back in Konoha, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, they're most likely already there, now that I think on it. Minato-sensei's technique is that proficient."

"Good, we'll see them when we return. In the meantime get some rest." She gave his thigh a soft pat as Naruto walked back through the clearing with fire wood. Obito gave a yawn and nodded.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan... I don't know where I'd be without you..." His eye drifted shut.

"You're not the only one," Naruto smiled as the young boy fell asleep. He looked over at Sakura. "Get some rest too. I'll wake Sasuke up after a while. Then we can get going."

She gave a yawn. The energy bar had helped enough to keep her awake until Naruto returned to start the fire. But, now sleep was finally starting to nag at her. She got up and moved over to his sleeping bag. As she pulled off her boots and curled under it, she looked over at Naruto and asked, "Did you know Jiraiya trained the Fourth?"

Much to her surprise he nodded as he hit the two rocks together. She couldn't recall the names. Sasuke probably would have began the fire with a jutsu, but he was the most worn out of them all and needed sleep.

"Yeah, I did. Why?"

"Because the Forth trained Kakashi."

"Did he?" He nudged the flames to kindle with a stick.

"You don't seem surprised." She pulled the cover up closer to her face as her eyes lids begged to close.

"I'm not... Not really. The Fourth was a great man. And Kakashi is an equally great man. I'm glad to have had two teachers who've worked with him." The fire picked up quickly and he placed the stick aside. When he didn't hear Sakura's reply he turned to look at her. A smile ran across his features as he saw her sound asleep.

She could be incredibly stubborn, he noted. But in the end sleep got to the best of any shinobi. Her amazing abilities at healing and strength had left him flabbergasted earlier. But, they'd all changed it seemed. Grown stronger.

With these final thoughts he reached over and tugged the sleeping bag more firmly around her. "Goodnight, Sakura..."


	6. Chapter 6

**..Chapter Six..**

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A breeze swept through the foliage of the large oaks that had been there for ages. Some of them were not so old, having only been brought into the world when the First and Second helped create Konoha. The village looked alive with people. It was a depressing and joyous sight all at once. People were in tears and grief stricken as they discovered their loved ones were not coming home. Some women, men and children fell to their knees as the news was given. Others still, the luckier ones, could take comfort their loved ones coming home.

The war was over.

After the lives of so many great men, women and children were taken from them the five villages had agreed on a cease fire. A contract and been written up on the basis that an exam would occur every year, one year from now. A exam that would allow for the countries to be satisfied without shedding too much blood or losing too many people.

No one had heard too much of it yet. Rumors had been dancing between whispering lips and ears. No one really thought it was a bad idea. Anything that helped keep the peace couldn't be too horrible, right?

In this mess of tears, joy and rumors was one young boy. A boy that in many, many ways had become a man. War did that to a young mind. Some of the Genin had been shipped out of the Academy too young and not nearly ready for the ramifications war placed on their minds. The ones that hadn't been prepared had to go through serious therapy. And those who managed to hold themselves together just sorta held it in. All the pain, the loss and the tears that would never be shed.

He was one such boy.

At five years of age he'd graduated the Academy the top of his class. A year later he was named Chuunin. And now, about a week after he made Jounin... at twelve... he felt he hardly deserved the rank.

It wasn't out of the ordinary for a boy to become a Jounin so young. It wasn't that hard to imagine a girl doing it either. War broke you in that young. And villages had to make hasty promotions to keep people in the field. But, the war was over. Ninja were coming home with smiles and grief in their eyes for the ones they lost and the ones that survived with them.

And the silver haired, one eyed man with a gift from a dead friend felt like it was a bitter loss. Not because no one had exactly won, but because felt it like an utter waste. And utter and complete waste because of the friend he'd gained and lost all in one day.

Obito had taught him a valuable lesson. One he would keep with him and never forget. He would pass it on. If he ever became a teacher his students would understand the value of not only team work but of helping and protecting each other as well. He would cut off his own arm before he lost another team mate...

He sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets and slouched over in a trademark position he wouldn't fully grasp until he was much older.

Who would replace Obito on their team? Who could? No one. No one could replace the loud-mouthed, notoriously late, crybaby turned man he called friend. His death came at a price; a lesson in which Kakashi wished had not taken his death for him to realize the gravity of the message.

And what about Rin?

He hadn't seen her since they arrived home. Sensei had taken him home and made sure she ended up in the same place after dropping him off. He said, no ordered, Kakashi to rest. He was sure everyone would be taking a leave of absence since the Third had called the war to a halt. They all needed time with their loved ones. And everyone knew the mission roster would be reduced to D-rank local jobs until the villages recovered their losses. It might take months before something good, some difficult, popped up. He wasn't complaining. Obito's death had ridden him of the need to fight for a while. The sooner he saw a battle field would be too soon in his mind. He would welcome the easy, labor tasking jobs for a while. Picking weeds and digging for trash in the local rivers seemed like gold compared to watching his friends get picked off like flies.

His lifted a lazy eye to take a glance at the path ahead of him. He was walking down the main strip. He tried to ignore the wails around him. It was like being in hell and heaven all at once. Purgatory seems the right word to describe it. Yes, purgatory. The halfway point between life and death where everyone was either happy to go or terrified to leave. One of two exits lay open to them in the end.

Where did that leave him? Hell? He'd lost a friend days ago. He'd left him under that rubble because he could do nothing else. He was too weak to save Obito because of his own careless actions at the loss of his left eye. And Rin... he had to help her. Obito wanted that. And he was not, had not, been in a position to deny him. They would have all died there if he'd tried to save him. And he knew Rin wasn't good enough, wasn't strong enough yet as a medic to heal him. He'd been beyond repair and none of them could have removed that bolder. He would have lost his right leg and arm.

Where was he going again? Did he have a direction?

Not really...

He scratched the side of his head where his headband covered his newly acquired Sharingan. A broken sword rested on his back, pressing into his spine as he leaned forward. He still needed to have it repaired. It'd probably never be used again... but for now he would carry it around. If not for his father than for Obito; a boy who'd changed his outlook on life forever. It was the last piece of homage he had aside from the boy's goggles. And those he intended to leave at the gravestone tomorrow during the funeral.

He wasn't sure if he was prepared for it. He knew Rin and sensei would be there. Would she cry? Would _he_ cry? He should. But tears would be a small thing to give in exchange for the life, his life, that Obito had saved. He'd saved them all. Just by being himself. He could only hope to one day become half the man the Uchiha boy was. And even then he was a lost cause.

His lazy eye drifted up just as he bumped into someone's back. He mumbled an apology and turned to keep walking, thinking it'd be better if he paid more attention to his surroundings.

"Kakashi?"

He paused and turned his head to the side as he heard that familiar voice. "Rin," he murmured in soft recognition. Her eyes were distant and tired. Bags darkened beneath her dark, violet depths. Her face was puffy from what he assumed was a few good days of tears. She looked broken, but her smile was never fading. She was so much stronger than he'd ever imagined before. Stronger than him. He couldn't even fake a smile.

"How... how have you been?" Her voice was soft and in her hands a basket. It was obvious she'd come to market to buy some goods of some sort. His eyes darted down. No... not goods... flowers. They were the brightest yellow he'd ever seen in a sunflower.

Not bothering to answer her question because he'd become distracted by the bundle he asked, "For the funeral?"

Her eyes rippled and her smile turned to a light frown. Her eyes turned down and eventually closed. "Yes... it's tomorrow at ten... are you going?" Her sad eyes turned to look at his one good one.

He nodded. "I am."

Silence echoed between them. It echoed and boomed and sliced like a knife. The twisting was cruel. The memory of a lost team mate hurt more than either of them ever imagined. Who ever expected such a thing to happen, even in war? You were told hundreds of times in the Academy it happened, to be ready for it. But, no matter how hard, or how often, you instilled it in your mind... nothing, absolutely _nothing_ prepared you for the actual thing.

He could still see his bloodied form and his strong eyes as he asked him to take his eye. Pleading, dying and breathing with a raspy voice to take care of Rin. The very image was enough to make him want to throw up; enough to make him want to have died instead. He wanted to take his place. It should be Obito here calming Rin over his death, not the other way around. Kakashi should have been the one to die that day. Not Obito; not him.

"I..." Rin started... her lip quivering..."I..." she sighed and looked down, her grip on the basket tightening. Tremors raced through her body.

Kakashi looked away from her, not wanting to see the pain in her eyes, the blame. He knew what she wanted to say. It was the same thing she'd tried to tell him when he told her to run. Those words... he didn't deserve them. Her love was better given to someone else. Someone who would love her as much as Obito had. Not him. Not a man who didn't even notice her strength until he'd failed as a commander; a leader... a man.

"Don't say it," he whispered hoarsely, hands tightening into fists in his pockets.

Her eyes tear ridden eyes looked up to him, wide and filled with emotions. "But..."

He shook his head, still not looking at her. "He loved you, Rin. Not me. He gave everything up for you. His life. I don't... I don't deserve that. I wanted to leave you behind..."

Silence.

"It's not easy you know," she said softly, her eyes once more downcast as she tried to hold back tears. "I loved him too... I just didn't realize how much..." Her voice caught. "How much until he was gone... and now." She let out a shaky sigh as the first tear hit the dirt. "I love you, Kakashi... I always have. We need each other, you know." She started to wipe her eyes. "We need to get through this together. Can't you see that?"

He could. And he wanted badly to accept her offer. He wanted deeply to give in and hold her, sooth her, sooth himself and allow her to ease his grief. But he didn't deserve that. He should be forced to wallow in his own crimes. For failing them both utterly. He hadn't even been able to save Rin. Minato-sensei had to come in the end anyway; cleaned up his mess---again. He would rip the title commander, Jounin, from his chest if he was able.

He turned to her, reaching out with his hand, cupping her cheek and wiped away a tear with his thumb. When he spoke, his voice was soft. "Rin... I'm not meant for you. At all. I failed you and I failed Obito that day. I failed as a commander and as a Jounin leader... I'm not a man worthy of your love. I may never be." He dropped his hand, digging it back into his pocket as he looked away from her again. "At this moment, I'm nothing more than trash. And until I prove otherwise... "

"I won't wait for you, you know," she whispered painfully.

He didn't flinch. Not because it didn't hurt, but because he didn't want her to wait. "I know. And you shouldn't."

There was a long pause... another painful silence. His mind kept willing her to go away. Silently chanting she walk away and leave him there. And just when he heard her footsteps, turning in the dirt and breathed a sigh of relief they stopped.

"Hatake Kakashi? Inuzuka Rin?"

He turned, standing just behind her as a tall Jounin whose name he did not know addressed them both.

"Yes?" He asked.

Rin blinked. "I'm Rin. what do you need?"

The man nodded. "The Hokage wishes to see you in his office on an urgent matter. You are to drop whatever you're doing and report there immediately."

"A summons?" Rin whispered, furrowing her brow. "How odd..."

"I can assume you'll both leave for there immediately?"

"Yes, of course," she responded. "You may go. Thank you."

He nodded and walked away.

Kakashi stepped up next to her. His eye followed the man. "What do you suppose what was about?"

She shrugged and looked over at him briefly. "No idea, but we'd better go now."

He nodded his agreement and they both set off towards the tower.

ooo

Bored.

Bored.

Bored.

That's what he was. Hagane Kotetsu was bored. He was bored and tired and stuck waiting on people, filling our reports and dealing with all the monotonous, stupid shit he never signed up for. The war was over. Great! Joy! Where did that leave him? Hm? Stuck here with his long time friend of twelve years, Kamizuki Izumo, guarding the gates of Konoha.

And you know what meant? Hn?! Paper work. Page after page of forms to be signed, confirmed and set to the tower by Genin messenger every hour or when the box filled. Every shinobi returning had to accounted for. Anyone presumed dead and not found so had to be corrected on the books. Anyone who'd gone missing in action had to be carefully noted that they were not any longer.

He grumbled, resting his cheeks in his hands as his eyes half closed, his lips half pouted half opened and breathed out a large breath that almost made the sound of a raspberry. "This sucks," he muttered.

He looked the picture of annoyance with three white pieces of tape on his two cheeks and chin. His hair was a spiky mess of black above his leaf headband, A sky blue shirt with a high neck covered his upper body. His legs were sheathed in blue shinobi pants. And on his back were two oversized kunai.

He glanced over at Izumo, frowning as his smile. He looked like a cat who'd gotten the cream. How could he possibly be happy?! They were doing Genin work! They were Chuunin! Not paper pushers! He grumbled and reached over, smacking the back of his head hard enough that the boy fell forward and hit his forehead on the counter.

"Ow! What the hell, Kotetsu?!" He rubbed his forehead and grumbled.

"Wipe that smile off you face, idiot! This is tedious work and you know it! Do you want to be stuck here the rest of you life? Hm?!"

Izumo pouted slightly, his bottom lip jutting out. "No..." he muttered. "It's not that bad though..."

"Not that bad? Are you serious? What kinda drugs are you on?!" His eyes narrowed as he shook a fist at him.

Izumo rolled his eyes. At twelve years old he was more than use to his best friend's bouts or stupidity and anger. All he wanted to do was sit and rest, enjoy the rest of his day.

He too wore the same blue top as his friend and the same blue shinobi pants. His forehead protector covered the top of his head completely; the leaf symbol emblazoned on the metal plate in front. He wore a black, high-necked, spandex shirt beneath. It came to his chin and stopped there.

"I'm not on anyway, dumbass. I'm just trying to make the best of a boring situation. Daydreaming. Every heard of it?" He rested his chin in his open palm, his elbow leaning on the counter.

"Meh... this is still boring as hell. I wanna go home and eat. Rest too. Just because we had to stay home while the war heroes went off to battle shouldn't mean we get the shit job." He grumbled some more. "Too bad we can't ditch."

"Yeah, Hokage-sama would fry us for that," Izumo agreed.

"Hm... And no one has even come through the gates for at least thirty minutes. How long are we stuck here anyway?"

Izumo shrugged. "Until our relief comes. You know the drill."

Kotetsu was about to make another complaint when a puff of smoke appeared about five feet away from them at the entrance of the gates. He blinked and reached for a kunai. Izumo, he noticed was doing much the same thing. Their eyes narrowed as they waited for the smoke to clear. Four sets of legs began to come visible and coughs were heard. Someone's hand waved away smoke.

"Naruto," a female voice coughed, "let go of me! Haven't you ever been through a teleportation jutsu before?" A shove was heard and then two male voices cried in unison.

"Sakura-chan!"

A grunt, and then, "You're both getting on my nerves, injured or not."

Finally the white cloud was swept away by a breeze. Before them four people stood or sat on the ground. A female had her hands on her hips, glaring at a blond male in orange and black and a black haired boy in a black tattered suit. Another man, a little taller than her with a hawk glared as well.

"You're such a spaz, Naruto. I told you what to expect!"

Naruto pouted. "It wasn't my fault! It felt weird..."

"Dropout," muttered Sasuke, crossing his arms over his chest. "Get up and help Obito. He's still having trouble walking."

At that name both guards jumped in unison. "Excuse me?" Kotetsu called out to them. "Did you say Obito? Are you talking about Uchiha Obito?"

Sakura turned to the two men at the booth. She smiled warmly, recognizing them immediately. She wanted to greet them by name, but stopped short, realizing in this time knowing who they were would bring up odd questions she couldn't answer.

Obito looked over as Naruto helped him. He leaned on the boy a smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm here. Eh.. sorry?"

Both men blinked. "You're dead," Kotetsu said stupidly.

"Ah... no... I'm right here."

Both men narrowed their eyes, hands tight on their kunai. Izumo spoke this time. "Regardless, we have to be careful. And we don't recognize any of the people with you. Even if they have Leaf headbands... it could still be a genjutsu."

Naruto blinked. "Wow... there not nearly this bad in the future," he muttered.

"Heh... " Sasuke muttered. "Sad how they take their job so seriously now, hm?"

Sakura tried to keep from laughing. And tried to avoid the weird look Obito was giving here. Oh... damn. They really needed to watch their tongues. Even around him. She turned her attention to the guards. "If you like we'll gladly let you preform the dispel jutsu. I assure you we are who we say we are."

Both men looked warily at each other and then the group before them.

"Alright," Kotetsu nodded. He lifted two fingers and whispered, "Dispel." The image didn't leave. All four people were still there and were still who they portrayed themselves as.

"Well," chuckled Izumo as he scratched the back of his head, "I guess you're legit. You'll have to excuse us, but orders are orders. We'll need you to fill out some forms here. As soon as that's done you'll need to report to the Hokage's office."

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

Kotetsu shrugged. "Orders. Every shinobi who is marked as dead in combat has to see the Hokage first. You three need to go with Obito because I've personally never seen you in Konoha before. Who are you?" His eyes narrowed. "You have Leaf headbands... and you," he pointed to Sasuke, "you bear the Uchiha fan on your suiting."

Sasuke stifled a groan as Obito turned his shocked eyes on his clothing. How could he have forgotten? Questions would have to come later. He looked at Obito as the black haired boy looked to him with curious narrowed eyes. "I'll explain later." How he'd managed to forget and Obito had never noticed was beyond him. Maybe the past few days had been too stressful to care about much else but getting home.

"I'm team leader here," she said with crossed arms. "I'm Sakura, the other two are Sasuke and Naruto. That's all you need to know for now. We were on a special mission assigned by the Hokage." That wasn't a lie at least. "And we are under strict orders not to discuss it with anyone."

Izumo raised his brows. "Fine, fine." He grunted. "You must be ANBU in training. You got that air about you. Demanding and order-bound." He pulled a few sheets of paper out. "Very well, fill these out and someone will escort you to Sarutobi-sama."

Sakura nodded and did as they asked. That was simple enough. She could get away with revealing their first names... but last names...? That could cause a problem. As she finished off the last one with a signature and held the stack out her voice was hard and even. "I'd prefer it if no one escorted us. We can find our way to the Hokage office just fine."

Kotetsu looked ready to argue but Izumo placed a hand on his arm as he addressed the pink haired girl. "That's fine. Obito is with you anyway. He'll be escort enough. Just take the papers with you to give to the Third." He smirked.

She smirked back and retracted her hand. "Thank you."

"You're most welcome, Sakura-san."

She gave them both one final look before gathering her team and walking towards the Hokage tower. The silence didn't last long though. Obito was addressing Sasuke.

"I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. You're an Uchiha, aren't you?"

Sasuke said nothing.

Obito's eyes narrowed. "Well?"

Sasuke sighed and leveled his gaze on the boy as he held him with coal depths. And for a brief moment, they switched, Sharingan showing through. It was only a flash. "Answer enough for you? We can't talk out here. Understand? Too many ears, Obito."

After the shock wore off he just nodded.

"It's bad enough I've got to use genjutsu to keep the fans hidden for now," he muttered.

"Just shut up about all of it until we talk to the Third, alright?" Sakura muttered. "The ramifications are getting bigger by the second."

All three men nodded. No one said anything else until the reached the tower. They said nothing still as she rounded the stairs and were allowed entrance into the Hokage's office. And all three of them---Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke tried to hold in their grief and joy at seeing the old man alive and well. For many years he'd been the corner stone of Konoha. The strength of the village until his death at Orochimaru's hands; until Tsunade took his place.

He blinked at them, brows raising. "Can I help you? You bunch look as though you've seen a ghost."

Naruto smiled softly from behind Sakura. Obito was hidden from view by Sasuke's tall form. His blue eye almost shined as he addressed the man who was once, in many ways, a grandfather to him.

"In a manner of speaking, Hokage-sama, you could say we are."

ooo

The clock ticked in the corner of the room after the explanation was finally out. Obito's presence had shocked the old Hokage. He'd been sent out a hour earlier to receive a medical review. Sarutobi was happy the boy was alive... however, the explanation he's received in secret had him in at odds. It was hard to believe. Impossible. And yet all three eyes looked earnest.

"This is..."

"Unusual? Weird? Odd? Frankly, were I in your position I'd be hard pressed to believe it too," Sakura said. "Thankfully, I do have evidence that says we are who we are."

Sarutobi blinked. "Do you?"

She nodded and pulled out a sealed scroll from her pouch. The thing was placed on his desk. "That is an amnesty scroll from our Hokage. It grants us freedom in Konoha no matter what time in history."

He narrowed his eyes on the scroll. "This seal is one that would be for the Fifth..."

"Yeah..." Sasuke answered feebly. "I know."

"Hm... nevermind, I don't want to know. One should never know too much about their own future."

She nodded, breathing a sigh of relief as he opened the scroll and read it.

"This is signed by Tsunade. I recognize her handwriting anywhere," he said with a tone of disbelief and looked up to Sakura. "She is the Fifth?"

Naruto stepped forward, hands in his pockets. "Yeah... grandma took over for you." He lied with a fake smile. "Someone had to eventually, right?"

He blinked. "She overcame her fear of blood?"

"You could say that," Sakura smiled. "She is a great woman. You must know she accomplishes quite a bit in our time. And she upholds your ideals soundly."

He smiled softly and placed the scroll down on the desk. "Very well. This is proof enough for me. I don't know what to do with any of you. I'm sure you've heard the war is over by now. Which means work over the next couple of weeks, if not months, will be reduced to D-rank. Everyone, even outside villages, are still recovering from the loss and will be for weeks to come. Months even. Our hospitals are full of injured shinobi who need help."

Sakura perked up at that. "I can help in that regard if you like."

He arched a brow. "You are a medic."

Naruto grinned. "Sakura-chan is the best medic in the world. Grandma trained her personally."

He arched his brows at her. "Truly?"

Sakura nodded, smiling sheepishly. His tone implied admiration and awe. "I was, yes."

He smiled, obviously happy. "Then you are more than welcome to help us in the hospital. When do you think you can start?"

She blinked. "Would the day after tomorrow be alright? We're all going to need time to find a place to stay... among other things.. I have no idea how long we'll be here. And we still need a cover story. No one knows who we are. I mean, we can run around using our first names. But, our last names? Hell, how is Sasuke suppose to hide the fact he's an Uchiha?" The idea was impossible. Utterly impossible. How did Eon figure they were going to stroll right into Leaf and not affect time?

"I can take care of those things. As far as the Uchiha goes... well... " He sighed. "We shall say you were raised elsewhere, went the Academy here and then left shortly after graduation. Your parents died in the war. You three were with them and on your return trip home when you came across Obito."

"Sounds plausible..." Sakura replied from her seat. "But won't the Uchiha clan wonder why they never met Sasuke's parents?"

He shrugged. "Not if they're relatives left the village years ago under confidential orders given by me. Then no one would know who they were. And there are plenty of files I can pull up in Records to make it real."

"Thank you..." Sasuke uttered softly.

"You can thank me by making sure you team mate is in my hospital a week from today." He smirked.

Sakura blinked. "A week? No I can start--"

"No, you won't. You need time adjust to life here. This may be the same village but it's not the same time. People are sad and depressed. They're only happy because the war is over. It's going to take time for old wounds to heal. So, in the meantime? Rest." He adjusted in his seat and gathered their papers. "Besides, it will take me a week to get your paperwork together, and without ninja certification you can't work anywhere. In the meantime, I'll give you a place to stay." He pulled another paper from the stack and scanned it over. "Is the Uchiha compound ok with you three?"

Sasuke tensed up immediately. He didn't want old ghosts staring him in the face, but the old man couldn't possibly know that. He opened his mouth to decline but Sakura beat him to the punch.

"Is there anywhere else? I don't mean to be rude... it's just..."

Sarutobi waved an idle hand. "No, don't worry at all. I just assumed you wanted to be close to Obito... let's see..." He scanned a few more lines and turned a page. "Ah, here we are. A three bedroom cottage is available. There is a downside however..."

"Which is?" Naruto finally spoke up.

"It's close to the training areas... with the way this war has affected people the owners don't want to be anywhere near the sounds of fighting. I'd imagine it has to do with a traumatic event. They only just leased it today."

"We'll take it," Sasuke said quickly. Anything was better than the compound.

He nodded and set the paper down. "Very good. Now, that's settled--"

A sharp knock rapped on the door. All three members turned to the wood barrier with raised brows as the Hokage called them to enter. Obito came in with a grin, crutches holding up his body. There was a black patch over his eye. He'd had a change of clothes too. A whole new black outfit like his last one. This one was clean thankfully.

"I got a clean bill of health!"

Sakura beamed. "I'm glad."

"Yeah, you're telling me. Those nurses are still trying to figure out how you did it." He smiled. "I could hardly get out of that place without them wanting to prod and poke me some more."

Just then, as someone was sure to reply with something else the door swung wide open and banged against the wall. There, trying to hold a silver haired male back was a tall blonde with a green Jounin vest on. "Kakashi! Stop--."

"No!" He shoved him as he cried out loudly. "It's not even funny to joke about, sensei! Obito died! I saw him! His body was irreparable!" He face was a wash of anger and hate, even beneath the mask the other in the room could see that. His hands balled into fists. "Those idiots downstairs have no idea what their talking about. Bullshit!"

"Kakashi, please!" A girl from behind him tried to subdue him.

He turned to look at her, "Shut up, Rin. You know as well as I do Minato-sensei should have said something!"

Her lower lip trembled. "I agree but... "

"But what?"

"Um... guys?" Obito waved. "Excuse me, could I have you're attention for a moment? Yeah, good, I'm ok. Just wanted to let you know. You can go back to arguing now."

All three just stared at him with expressions of confusion, shock, awe and... sadness.

"Obito..?" Both Kakashi and Rin said at the same time.

He scratched the back of his head. "Ha ha... Hi?"

Kakashi suddenly narrowed his eyes on him. "You! I'll kill you!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Yes! Reviews! I'm so glad! I was worried for a while people wouldn't be into this because it's Kakashi/Sakura. Not that's over with... on to reviewer questions/responses!

**Namie-chan ::** Thank you -smiles- They won't.

**ShyTan'ith** :: Yes, it does. And this way Sasuke isn't such an ass.

**Camya ::** Thanks! And I won't.

**TeenageCrisis ::** You've reviewed my other stories haven't you? Thanks!

**Mateba ::** OMG! After your review I was dying to finish this chapter and post it. -grins- I wanted to reply to you _so_ bad. and I try to only reply to my reviewers here. Unless the story is done.

YES! There WILL be Saku/Kak romance. There will be lemon, there will be angst and there will be lots and lots of good and bad. Many things will change and others will not. I already know what those changes are. I mapped them out today. And let me tell you... they are REALLY good. Probably my best work yet. And RDC was really good in itself in my opinion. I won't tell you what, even though I'm dying to, because it'll ruin the story. But trust when I say, and not for more reviews, that it'll be GOOD.

**Rukoh ::** Conversation is the hardest thing for me to do. I try VERY hard to make it seem natural. And you're not the first person to comment on it. A lot of people say I have good flow in that department. So, thanks! -grin- It's always nice to get a long, well thought out review.

Thanks to everyone else who favorited/read.

**--Blade**


	7. Chapter 7

**..Chapter Seven..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

Namikaze Minato; age? Twenty-three. Height? One-hundred and seventy-nine point two centimeters. Weight? Sixty-six point one kilograms. All undeniable facts. All unchanging. There are a wide range of things about Minato that could easily, by anyone, be described as such. His teacher was one of those people. Jiraiya had commented on it often. His decisions were precise and executed with an almost perfect air. He was always calm and collected; especially when faced with a foe across the battlefield. His team had been given these same traits; or at the very least he had tried to pass them on to each one.

Kakashi had been his student since he graduated the Academy. It was no great shock because the boy had come under his care after the death of his father. It was only natural he become his Jounin teacher when Kakashi gained Genin. It was a proud day for them both. Minato had commented on it often to the young prodigy.

And yet... no matter how hard he tried to instill certain things, certain beliefs, into the boy... it never really seemed to sink it. It was always in vain. Kakashi hated his father because he broke the rules and disgraced the family. And in turn he felt it was his duty, his life's ambition, the become the greatest shinobi by following the rules to the T. It was only natural for him to clash with someone like Obito.

Minato had tried time and time again to keep them from coming to blows. He'd taught them fighting each other for any other reason aside from training was unacceptable. Rin was the buffer much of the time when Minato could do nothing or wasn't present to stop the angst. She'd confided in him many a time that the two boys each had their own good points. The problem was their ideals were too different. They would have worked beautifully together if they'd only managed to understand the value of team work.

But, Kakashi was too wound up in making a name for himself; too wound up in the ideals of honor and glory. War had been a welcoming opportunity for him. Becoming Jounin was something he'd strived for. He'd worked hard for it. But he hadn't gained it with an understanding of those on his team. The mission had been the important part. The only important part.

As for Obito? He was too emotional. One moment he was trying not to cry because something had popped up he wasn't ready for and the next he was shaking his fist at the bastard who'd insulted him--namely Kakashi. And poor Rin... The girl was always caught in the middle. _Always_.

And in the past few years they had worked together as a team none of it had really gotten better. It hadn't been until Minato had come on the scene, defeated the Rock nin and taken his team mates to safety he'd realized the gravity of what had happened. And when Kakashi had awoken that night, beneath the stars... He face, the look there, was totally different. The death of a great friend, someone he'd never taken the time to understand, had changed him. Minato wasn't sure if it was for the better or worse.

He was certainly more cautious. He seemed more receptive to a lot of things. But you could tell by his walk, his slouched stance as he paced through the village like a zombie, that he blamed himself. And Minato worried not even Rin could change that. He worried that he, his teacher, couldn't change that.

The memories of the past few days were enough to make anyone go madd. Kakashi hadn't been the only one to fail his team. Minato was just as guilty. The difference between Minato and Kakashi was he actually knew, at the end of the day, no one was really to blame at all. That didn't make it any easier. He loved Obito as much as the rest of his team. Not like the brotherly or fatherly way he felt towards Kakashi, but he still did love him. Enough to give his life for him. Enough to keep his memory burning in his heart forever. Enough to cry his eyes out on the chest of his lover the night he came home, holding her like a lost child. There were just some weaknesses a man could not escape, no matter how strong. And seeing the worried look in the eyes of the woman you loved the night you arrived home; the joy of knowing you were ok there too; it was enough to let everything out there. All the tears, heartache and grief.

And after all that? He wasn't better. Not by a long shot. But at least he wouldn't end up looking like a blathering idiot the day of the funeral. He would be able to be strong for his two remaining students.

So, no one, not a damn person, could really begrudge Minato as he just stared, frozen at the sight of his student--Obito--alive as Kakashi charged at him.

"You! I'm going to kill you!"

"Kakashi!" Rin screamed.

"Damnit," Sakura muttered as she stood up to stop the scene from occurring. She was too late, or Naruto was much quicker. Because before she knew it the blond had the silver haired Jounin in a vice hold, preventing him from attacking Obito.

Naruto growled. The strain the young man was putting on his arms was no joke. Kakashi was a lot stronger, even at this age, than he imagined.

Kakashi's eye seemed almost on fire. He was enraged, angry and blinded by his emotions. You could only push a man so far in the coarse of a few days after all. "I swear on the body of my dead comrade, if you don't dispel that genjutsu right now..." his voice trailed off, the intent not needing to be said. He pulled on his restrainer, his arms painfully pulled in a direction he wasn't use to.

"Let me go. Now."

"No can do," Naruto replied cheerfully.

"Kakashi, calm down," Rin whispered next to Minato.

His one good eye turned on her, blazing. If he weren't so angry he probably would have thought better of his gaze; thought better as she flinched under his murderous intent. He said nothing to her. His gaze turned back to the boy. "Remove it. Now."

Obito blinked, seeming unfazed. More surprised than anything. He hadn't exactly expected this sort of reaction from Kakashi. Shocked, happy--maybe, perhaps even feigned indifference. But not rage or anger. He certainly didn't think he'd think he was lying about who he was. What was with him?

"Kakashi... I'm real. It's not genjutsu."

"_Bullshit!_ You are not Obito. I watched my friend die for his friends that day! I left him there! Rin and I both did. There is no way in hell he could have survived. Even Minato-sensei said he was dead when he finally arrived." His good eye narrowed. "Whoever you are... I swear when I'm free..." His voice became low, deadly. He jerked in Naruto's grasp once more. Enough to make Obito jump.

It looked as though Sarutobi might interfere finally but Sakura held up and finger and asked, silently, for permission to say something first. He gave a sigh and waved her to do so.

Sakura nodded and took careful steps towards Obito. She crossed her arms in front of her chest as she caught Kakashi's gaze. Her own emerald pools narrowed.

It was a stare down.

When Sakura had been in the Academy she was always described as a brilliant mind. The only one to rival her in intelligence was Shikamaru and Sasuke. But Shikamaru was a lazy genius; something she, a hard worker, could never be compared to. Sasuke was a naturally strategist in a tight situation. Something Sakura had grown to be good at over the years. But, namely her smarts came from a need to learn, absorb and retain. She had a photographic memory. Something that made her an excellent medical nin and recon/information specialist.

When she became a Genin her smarts went so far as a help during training. She had been a burden to not just Sasuke but Naruto as well. Where the two boys drove each other to succeed with the natural rivalry, Sakura was driven to become a great shinobi because of their rivalry; the need to not be left behind literally as she was in the village when they left.

It were these amazing qualities and learned skills that made her an excellent team leader, just as her boys had said. It wasn't just about rank or skills. It wasn't about how many jutsus she'd learned or the strength internally and externally she'd gained from her shishou. Sakura was a natural born leader; like her first teacher; like the man standing before her now.

The two face off, toe to toe, eye for eye. Staring, assessing, and regarding one another with a keen combination of all five sense. And when it seemed like the thick air would never be sliced with a knife? Sakura 'tched' at him. As if he weren't even worthy of her judgment.

Kakashi fumed, growled and pulled on his restrainer once more. "You wanna fight, bitch? I'll give you one. Just tell your dog to let me go, eh?"

Sakura raised a single brow as kept on a facade of disinterest. Inside? She was a mix of emotions. This was not the man she'd once called her teacher. Was this what the death of one team mate did to you? Did to him? She wasn't sure if she was ashamed or felt sorry for him. Calling her names? Kakashi would never do that. She didn't think she'd ever heard him call a woman such a derogatory term. But this was the past. He wasn't that man yet. And for all intensive purposes Obito was a lie before him; something he didn't recognize as real.

"You actually think the Hokage would allow someone to preform a genjutsu in his office? Of a dead man? And then call you in here, to see him? For what what? His sick idea of a joke? Use some common sense."

"Who in the hell are you? And how is it any of your business? Any of you?"

Her hands were placed on her hips. "I'm the one that saved your friend's life. Sakura."

He was quiet for a while. And once more he regarded her. From the black of her shinobi boots, a standard he'd never seen before, all the way to her short pink hair. He scoffed. "Healed? You're a medic?"

"Yes."

"Right. His injuries were so bad, so irreparable, even the great Tsunade couldn't have fixed him. And here he is, perfectly intact with his arm and leg. You expect me to think, that you, at your age, had enough chakra to piece back together his limbs? And what of the bolder? Even Minato-sensei couldn't dig through that rubble." He rolled his eye. "At least if you're going to lie to me, make it sound believable."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Naruto, let him go."

"What?" Naruto blinked. "If I let him go he'll come right at you."

"I know."

Kakashi scoffed. "Now you want to fight?"

Sakura reached into her pouch, pulling out a set of black leather gloves. Each one was slid on with slow, patient, deadly intent. She gripped her hands in and out of the fist position a few times.

"Let him go now, Naruto."

Naruto hesitated. "We really shouldn't be fighting in the Hokage office, Sakura."

"It won't be a fight," he said coolly.

There was a long pause. Sakura kept her gaze on Kakashi. Kakashi held her's, narrowed. It wasn't until Sasuke spoke that anything really broke the rift.

He sighed. "Naruto, let him go. If the idiot really wants to get his ass handed to him, let him. Sakura can handle herself."

Sakura smirked. Sasuke wasn' the last person she expected to back her up; but, to have him acknowledge her? It was an honor from the great Uchiha.

Kakashi scoffed again. This time it was directed at Sasuke. "You really don't know who I am do you?"

Sasuke knew Kakashi wasn't normally so brash, so ego driven. He was only acting this way because of his anger. And in a lot of ways, he felt like he was looking at himself, over six years ago in his own time. "I don't have to. I know my team mate." His eyes went to Sakura and he mimicked her smirk.

Naruto sighed. "I still say this is a bad, bad idea."

"Let him go already, Naruto," Sasuke muttered.

"Fine, fine..." Naruto released Kakashi and took a step back. He moved as close to desk as possible. He watched as the two lone figures face off against one another in a staring match.

"Aren't you going to strike first?" Kakashi asked her, amusement laced in his voice.

"Should I?" She shrugged. "No, I've decided I'll give you one opportunity to hit me. After which, I'll finish this up."

He grunted. "Overly cocky aren't you?"

"I like to call it confidence. What you're spouting is ego. Not me." Her arms crossed at her chest and she waited. But she didn't have to wait long.

Kakashi considered using his Sharingan. But he didn't need to for this match. He was still brash and angry, caught up in his emotions. The logical part of his mind wouldn't have even thought of fighting in the Hokage office. So it wouldn't have even gotten far enough for him to consider Obito's gift.

He came at her swiftly, fist thrown towards her jaw. He waited for the hit. He waited for the moment he'd connect with her jaw. For that moment he'd be free to expel his anger; an emotion he always kept perfectly in check.

But it never came. Instead, his shocked eye stared at her chakra inflamed fist wrapped around his own. She'd caught it. Impossible. He'd put enough strength into that hit to break her hand. How...

But he didn't have time to think. Namely because during his hesitation, which she'd taken advantage of, he found himself doubling over in pain. He fell to his knees, grasping his stomach as she released his hand. He'd never been hit so hard before. Not even by his sensei.

He coughed as he doubled over, blood spilling on the floor.

"Kakashi!" Rin cried. Her worried eyes turned angry as she turned her sharp gaze to Sakura. "Did you really have to do that? So hard?"

Sakura didn't respond to her. She looked down at Kakashi. Her voice was cool as she spoke. "Anger makes you do stupid things, Hatake." A pause. "One of them being thinking that just because someone appears incapable of great strength, they are. Lesson the first, never underestimate your opponent, no matter how old the look."

She waited, allowing this information to sink in. In her own way she was just an angry as him. But she had the advantage of six years growing up in her own time. Kakashi was still only twelve. It was hard to imagine the boy before her became her teacher.

"My team saved Obito. My strength, I assume, has been proven. I moved that bolder and my team mates gave me their chakra to reconstruct your friend's limbs. You can believe it if you want to or not."

Kakashi knelt there for a while longer. His legs were shaky as he started to stand. And when he did, it wasn't tall. He was once more slouching slightly. He didn't meet her eyes. His were cast down. He grunted, but he wasn't sure if it was because of pain or embarrassment he'd let his emotions get the better of him and then got his ass handed to him because of his own anger.

Unable to take the stress of the day any longer, he pushed past Rin and left the room in a hurry.

"Kakashi! Wait!" Obito cried out and tried to move forward.

"No, I'll go after him. You stay here." Sakura dashed out of the room before anyone could argue.

Naruto grumbled. "I knew it was a bad idea....OW!" He cried as Sasuke smacked the back of his head. "What the hell, bastard!?"

"Just because."

Naruto growled but let it go. "I really hate you."

"No, you don't."

Pause.

"I know."

Minato seemed to suddenly come out of his haze. He rubbed his head, fingers digging into his scalp. "Today..." He sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't do anything... He's never acted this way before. Not once." He meant Kakashi and everyone knew it.

"Obito," Rin whispered and came forward. Tears fell from her eyes as she took him in a painful, yet comforting hug.

Obito winced, but smiled and pat her back. He wasn't about to tell her how much that hurt. The feeling of her small arms around him was worth any pain. "I'm ok, Rin. It's alright. Stop crying."

Minato looked over at Sarutobi. "I should go after him, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi waved his hand. "Don't worry about it, Namikaze-sama. The day has been weary enough."

He nodded slowly, still not happy. "Perhaps it is better to let him deal with this on his own."

Naruto laugh at that. "Sakura can handle him, don't worry. Right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke blinked a few times as he looked at the tall blond man known as Namikaze Minato. He tried to hide his awe. "Are you The Yellow Flash of Konoha?"

Minato smiled brightly. "So they tell me."

ooo

He ran. He ran until his legs hurt. He ran until his chest hurt. He ran until his shoulders were filled with a pain from being swung so hard to either side of his body. He ran as he ignored the tears slicing down his face, mixing with the rain that pelted his form. His body felt like ice. A thousand stony pricks bore through his clothing and stung.

But he didn't care.

He was numb to everything.

He didn't know what to think anymore. His mind was falling to tatters and all he wanted to do was end his life right then and there. He didn't even know where he was going. He just kept moving forward, forcing air into his lungs; forcing his legs to keep moving, forcing his arms not to give up on him.

He ran for what seemed like hours as the sky receded into night; as the sun settled past the horizon. And when his body inevitably gave up on him, he tripped and found himself face first in the mud, body splayed out in the dark.

Water and dirt rushed up his nose and mouth. He coughed as he pulled himself up, his shoulders and arms crying out in protest. The muck was expelled from his body as he looked up, trying to figure out just where he'd ended up.

The rain was coming harder and he felt a shiver race up his spine. He was soaked to the bone. And while it was true the shiver may have been from a mixture of pain and a descending cold on his system, it really had nothing to do with it at all. The name on the tall cold stone reached out to him, slapping him back into reality.

_Uchiha Obito_

_KOA - Casualty of The Third Great Ninja War_

_Great Friend and Noble Team Mate_

_RIP_

He cried out, yelling as his eyes shut impossibly hard. His rage echoed into the night. It bounced off the mountainous terrain and grassy hills. He sounded like a wounded animal, a creature who'd lost his mate or one who'd utterly failed at something.

His fist slammed into the muddy ground as he sat back in a half cross legged position. He grabbed at the dirty and mud as he cried out again. The tears never once died down. He felt like dying. He felt like taking his father's sword and ending his life right there. He was tormented, beaten and battered. He chocked on a sob and covered his muddy face with his even muddier hands.

To the onlooker, he seemed a pathetic bum. A pale after image of a great mind and even once greater ninja. And now he was reduced to a crying, feeble, weak and broken mess. The memory haunted him. The blood pricked his senses. Rin screams assailed his senses and he hunched over and let it all out.

Not once, not since his death, had he cried. He hadn't cried when his father died. He hadn't cried when his mother died before him. And he just couldn't seem to make himself do it days ago when Obito 'died'.

But he just couldn't take it anymore. He'd spent so much of his life containing it, pushing it aside, doing what he thought was best, following the the shinobi guidelines in regards to emotions...

It was an utter joke! All of it! He didn't know what to think anymore. His body shook. His heart raced. His eyes felt heavy and his mind pained from a forming headache. He knew he should go home, he knew he should get out of the rain. But better judgment, something he prided himself on, appeared to keep leaving him in the dust.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped. He pulled away, pushing his body back in the muck. He didn't even look up to see who'd come after him. It was probably sensei. He didn't think Rin would leave Obito behind.

He felt a hand on his face as someone crouched between his spread legs. Booted feet held them above the dirt. He looked up, surprised to see the girl from earlier. The one with pink hair. Sakura...

She didn't smile at him. She didn't looked upset. And there was no blame in her eyes. If anything... her cool green orbs were soft with something. Understanding? He just stared, still shaking. He'd never been so vulnerable before one person before. It scared the hell out of him.

"You ok?" Her voice was soft.

He just stared at her, not really knowing what to say. Was there anything to say? She'd saved his best friend, right? She'd done the thing he hadn't been capable of.

He tried to looked down, but her hand held fast. He was forced to stare at her. Forced to show her the vulnerability in his eye. He wanted to yell at her, to tell her to leave him alone. And when he tried, his voice didn't come out nearly as strong as he wanted it to. "Leave me alone."

Her eyes, if possible, just turned softer. "It's not your fault, Kakashi."

"What do you know about it?" He muttered.

She let go of his chin. Her eyes looked away and she sat down where she crouched. She didn't seem to mind the dirt too much, he noted. "You're right. I don't know much about it. I've never lost a team mate before. So, I won't pretend I understand. But," she said kindly, quietly, "I do know what it feels like to be helpless..."

He was once again unsure about what to say. Helpless? Her? He could hardly imagine it. She was her team's leader. A job she seemed to have a good grasp on. Something he couldn't handle in his mind. "I doubt that."

"No, really," she smiled slightly, her eyes down cast in the dirt, "I was once." Her eyes were distant with memories. "when I was younger. I was always left behind. Everyone was better than me. Everyone always left me behind. I grew from it though. And I forced myself to become who I am today, Kakashi."

"How?" He found himself asking.

She chuckled slightly. "Naruto and Sasuke were always bickering with one another when we were kids. Always. They hated each other from the start. I was a burden."

_Like Rin..._ His mind wandered.

She shrugged and looked up at the falling storm. "But I didn't want to be the third wheel anymore. The need to be as great as my team mates drove me to get better. They drove each other and in turn drove me to be the best I can be." Her eyes turned to his. "I don't expect you to understand--."

"I do," he argued quickly. Her goals were driven differently. His father, his death, had driven Kakashi to become a great ninja. For Sakura it was the pain of not wishing to fail. He almost envied her. Simply because her inevitable path had been the right one. Had he been like her... had he been weak.. maybe... he would have been able to save Obito and keep Rin from harm.

She gave a long sigh and stood up. She tried to wipe mud off her backside with a soft grunt. "I need to go back. It's been about two hours. Are you coming?" She held a hand out to him.

He debated telling her to still go, leave him to his grief, but in that moment his stomach growled in protest. He heard a soft laugh and looked up. She was hiding her amusement behind her hand.

"I'm sorry, really, but Naruto is just as funny when his stomach makes that sound." She held her hand out again. "C'mon, let's get something to eat."

He gave a long sigh before taking her hand and allowing her to assist him up. His bare hand curled into hers. It was a solid feeling, something he'd never experienced before. Her hand was warm and calloused like his own. The comfort he felt for a brief instant was entirely unexpected. He didn't know what to make of it at all.

...Odd.

He shook his head and ignored whatever it was. It didn't matter anyway. He followed her back as the rain started to ebb. Not once did his eyes linger from the mess of bright pink hair in front of him.


	8. Chapter 8

**..Chapter Eight..**

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Naruto watched the tall blond next to him as he spoke with Sasuke. His face was shining with joy, his eyes creased to a close as he grinned. He had a calming, yet drawing air about him. As if by just being in his presence made you want to stand taller. Naruto didn't understand it at all. He'd never felt this way around any of his other mentors. Not even Jiraiya. And Jiraiya himself was a great man all on his own. He was one of the legendary sanin.

Naruto knew the moment Sasuke had called Minato 'The Great Yellow Flash' he was the Fourth. Not yet, but he would be. Standing merely six inches from Naruto was the same man, the same hero, who'd sealed within him the Kyuubi. It certainly gave one a sense or mortality.

He wanted to ask him a hundred questions. Why had he done it? Why had he chosen him? Who were his parents? Had he known them? Was he good friends with them? How did they die?

But it would do no good. Naruto had not been born yet. He wouldn't be for another two years. And it was quite possible his parents would die just after he was born. Maybe Naruto had just been some orphan Minato had chosen to be the demon fox vessel. But why? He appeared to be such a great man, someone Naruto looked up to because of who he became. The Forth.

He would eventually obtain a position Naruto only hoped to one day grasp, to take with both hands. The position was something he sought as acknowledgment. A reason for people to see him as a person. Not just a demon. Not just a vessel.

How could he not be awed by this great man? How could even speak to him? He felt so small next to him, so _insignificant_. How could he ever reach his brilliance? He was nothing like Naruto. He was so reserved and yet easy to smile. He made everyone feel at ease around him just by being there.

Naruto was rash and quick to charge into things. Sure he'd curbed his behavior as he grew and learned under Jiraiya's tutelage. But deep down, he was still that same, lost, bewildered, little boy; a boy who was still desperately trying to find his way to being as much a man as he looked in his time.

Minato suddenly looked over at the blond haired boy next to him as they walked. Sasuke had been drawn into a conversation with Rin and Obito. He wasn't bothered by it. He was happy. His team mate was not dead. He was still worried about Kakashi, but the boy staring at him had laughed and assured him the girl, Sakura, could handle it.

He'd felt Naruto's eyes on him since they started walking. He'd been very quiet the entire time. But never once did he feel those blue eyes that so... vividly matched his own... leave his form.

"You look lost in thought, Naruto-kun," he said to the younger man. He smiled.

Naruto's expression didn't change much, but he did smile softly in return. "I'm sorry, Minato-sama. I'm just feeling off tonight."

Minato arched a brow. "Off?"

He nodded. His eyes narrowed on him, looking unsure. As if he wanted to say something but didn't know how to go about it.

Minato continued to smile. "You know, I won't bite. You can ask me anything you like, Naruto."

He blushed slightly, embarrassed he'd been caught. "Am I so easy to read?"

Minato chuckled. "No, not really. I'm just good at reading people."

Naruto smiled again before turning his gaze forward. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and allowed his face to go expressionless. "I suppose... hm... it sounds odd in my head.."

"You can speak freely. I won't make fun."

Naruto smirked slightly. "You're a great man, Minato-sama. You may not understand why, but, I admire you greatly. Being in your presence... you could say has me on edge."

He blinked a few times. He wasn't really sure what to say. Many people had told him he was a great influence on their careers and lives. But none had ever told him they felt on edge around him. "Would you prefer if I stepped away from you, Naruto?"

Naruto grinned at his response. "You misunderstand me. I'm not afraid you. I'm in _awe_ of you. Even standing next to you, walking with you to something as simple as dinner seems surreal. I'd call it a dream, but it sounds rather cheesy."

Minato stared at him for a while longer, once more not saying anything. The boy made him feel like a hero more so than any other before him who'd said those same words. Why? He didn't understand it, but the kid gave him the same feeling he had around Kakashi. And the silver haired Jounin had never given him praise or reverence. It was an unusual combination of feelings.

He decided to try and brush it off with a joke. He scratched the back of his head in nervousness. "Is that why you look like my spitting image? Hero worship?" He chuckled.

Naruto grinned. "Not at all. My hair is usually shorter than this. I've just neglected cutting it for a while. But, now that you mention it, it _is_ odd." He blinked and searched the taller man's features curiously.

Minato found himself doing the same thing. Naruto's eyes were a bright shade of blue, almost the same image he saw in the mirror everyday. His face was palen, like his own. But his cheeks were marred with three scratches to either side, like whiskers. And everytime he smiled, his eyes shut slightly, making look like a mischievous fox.

It was an unusual combination if he ever saw one. And an odd coincidence at that.

"Who were your parents?" He couldn't help but ask the question. Maybe he knew them. But he almost regretted it as a sudden pain shot across the boy's eyes. Everything about him appeared to change. His body language and his voice. His shoulders went slack, his eyelids dropped and his lips almost seemed to pout. He didn't even look at him, cold blue down cast. And when he did speak it was low and sad.

"I don't know..."

His eyes widened a moment in surprise. An unexpected pain filled his chest. He knew many children lost their parents at war. But to not even know who they were... "How.."

He shrugged and tried to stand taller. "I was an orphan. Aside from my team I was alone my whole childhood.... " He paused. "I was never recognized.... That's why..." He drifted off.

Minato felt the urge, the need to have him finish that sentence. He didn't know why, but he felt it was the single most important thing he would ever hear in his life. "Yes?"

And then Naruto's whole demeanor changed. He really did stand taller. His eyes shone with new determination. He smirked in almost a half smile. His walk even looked more pronounced, more confident. "That is why I will one day become Hokage. I will prove I'm a capable ninja. One day, people will hear my name and know I'm a person. That I'm not just a dropout failure. I will be acknowledged as the single most greatest ninja in history." With each word, each syllable, his voice grew louder and more determined. When his eyes finally settled on Minato, they were filled with confidence. "One day," he said, "I hope to be as great as you, Namikaze-sama."

A warmth spread in the Jounin's chest. He didn't know what to make of it, not at first. And the he realized, with shocking clarity, that it was _pride_. He felt pride for this young man and he didn't even understand why. What was this connection? Where did it come from? His words were moving. He made even Minato believe he was capable of such a feat. He was still so young and had much to learn. But Minato believed him.

He smiled, forcing shock from his features. "I think you were wrong, Naruto."

Naruto arched his brows. "How so?"

"I don't think it's you who are in awe of me, boy," he said softly, proudly, "I think it is I who is in awe of _you_."

A blush ran across his features and goosebumps trailed his arms and legs. His heart raced. Namikaze Minato, the future Fourth, hero of Leaf and the Great Yellow Flash... was in awe... of him? He could form words. He couldn't speak. Shock was an understatement. It didn't even begin to describe the rush of energy he felt flooding his system. No one... not even Sasuke... had ever acknowledged him so soundly. so reverently with admiration in his voice.

It was a moment he would never forget for the rest of his life.

"You are a strong young man, Naruto. I hope, one day, when I have son, he's half the man you are." His voice was strong, earnest and real. He meant every breath of his words, every last one.

"T-Thank y-you..." Naruto breathed, wide eyed. "You have no idea who much that means to me..."

Minato just smiled and placed an arm over his shoulders as they walked. "You're a good kid, Naruto, but you should learn to take praise a bit better, hm?"

Naruto managed a shy smile and he scratched the side of his head. "I'm not use to it, Minato-sama... Not outside my teachers and team."

He drew him closer and grinned back. And in a fatherly manner that even surprised him, he ruffled his hair. "You'll have to if you ever plan on becoming Hokage." He smirked. "Well, unless I beat you too it, yeah?" He edged a glance at him, hoping to get a rise out of the kid.

Instead, he surprised him by looking on to his matching blue eyes with reverence. "I think you'd make a great Hokage, Minato-sama."

He raised his brows and kept his gaze on him. "Perhaps I will. And then I'll make you my apprentice..." He smiled slightly.

Naruto laughed, shoving him slightly. "You hardly know me."

"Is that a challenge, Naruto-kun?"

"How so?" He blinked up at him.

Minato tried to seem hardly interested. He turned his gaze slightly upward, but out of the corner of his eye he was trying to read Naruto's expression as he spoke. "Oh, I dunno... I'm just think I might make you my new student... then I can claim to know you better..."

His eyes widened in shock and he choked out a surprised stutter. "D-don't joke about that!"

"I wasn't," he grinned and ruffled his hair again with his free hand.

Naruto laughed as he tussled the mess of blond once more.

"I really think I should. Unless you don't want to."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Oh, no, not at all! I'd love to, Minato-sama."

"Good, it's settled. We'll make arrangements at dinner, alright?"

Naruto couldn't help the feeling of nervousness, joy and blooming awe building in his stomach. He was going to be Minato's student. The same man the great Jiraiya had taught. His former sensei. If he were a child he probably would have turned into a puddle of mush on the spot.

Thankfully--for him--a much needed distraction presented itself.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" A pink haired woman called to them. The whole group stopped as she ran towards them, wet from rain and a smile on her face. Behind her trailed a boy in blue spandex with an X of gray strapping across his chest. He looked as uninterested as ever.

Minato was happy to seem him looking something like his former self. It wasn't all there. But, he had a feeling whatever the pink haired ninja had said to him had greatly improved his mood.

Once they reached them Sasuke blinked a few times. "What the hell happened to you two?" They were covered in mud only slightly. The clothing they wore was starting to dry, but you could still see residual dampness there.

Sakura scratched the back of her head with a sheepish grin. "Ah, well, we sorta got caught in the rain."

Kakashi's eyes trailed to Obito. The Uchiha boy frowned slightly, as if unsure if his team mate was going to try and pounce him again. Everyone around them tensed up. Smiles faded to tight lips and frowns of something akin to being unsure.

"Obito..." Kakashi said evenly.

"Kakashi..." Obito replied, thankful for the firm squeeze to his shoulder by Rin.

Kakashi did something rather unexpected then.

He smiled and his single good eye creased in the expression. Everyone's mouths went slightly agape.

"Thank you, Obito-kun."

Once the shock had worn off for he didn't know how many times that day, Obito clamped his mouth shut and murmured, "For what?"

"You already know the answer, Uchiha."

Obito, slowly, smiled. He knew. "I do, Hatake. You're welcome."

"But," Kakashi said lightly, still smiling, "if you ever scare me like that again I will personally make sure you don't come back without a few scratches for your stupidity."

Obito scoffed. "My stupidity? Mine?! Who wasn't watching what he was doing when that Rock nin cut his eye, huh? I pushed you out of the way to save your ass. You should be more grateful."

Kakashi rolled his one good eye. "You got lucky, that's all."

"Ha! You were the careless one. Cocky bastard!"

"Say that again, crybaby!"

Sasuke stepped away from the two and nudged Minato next to Naruto. "Um... say... does this normally happen?"

Minato grunted. "It's practically abnormal if they don't do it. Here, watch," he pointed to Rin, who was starting to fume next to the boys. "I give her twenty seconds."

"Ten," muttered Naruto.

"Fifteen," Sasuke jumped in.

"Nah, twenty-five," Sakura surprised them all by joining in. "Then she'll whop them both on the head. Trust me."

Everyone shrugged and counted. Sure enough, twenty-five second later Rin was pulling them apart and whopping them on the heads.

"You idiots! Quit fighting! You!" She pointed at Kakashi. "You should know better. He's still injured."

"Haha!" Obit cried.

Her cold glare turned to him. She pointed once more. "And you!"

He blanched, looking afraid.

"You've just been cleared form the hospital! Grow up!" She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I told you," Sakura sing songed with an impish smile.

Minato just chuckled as the two boys groaned. "Well, now that that's over, let's go to dinner, hm?"

"Ramen!" Naruto shouted.

"No!" Both Sakura and Sasuke shouted at the same time.

He pouted and slouched.

Minato was laughing heartily this time. "Ramen, huh? Funny, that. My girlfriend loves the stuff. I'm sick of it personally. Sometimes I wonder if she doesn't make it just to avoid burning anything else." His voice held amusement. And then he just shrugged. "Actually, I was thinking of a grill house. I'm pretty sure they serve ramen on the menu too."

"At this point anything would be nice. I haven't eaten since breakfast," Sakura groaned.

"Ramen!" Naruto shouted again.

"Shut up, drop out," Sasuke muttered as he bopped his head.

Naruto grumbled and smacked him back. "Quit that, bastard!"

"I'll quit when you stop acting like a child," he argued back.

"Children, please, both of you. Shut up." This from Sakura as she stood between them, hands on their chests.

"Ok, well, I'm hungry. I'm leaving. Follow if you want." With that Minato stuffed his hands into his pockets as he walked on ahead. Shortly afterward, the two teams followed at a slow gait.

ooo

Laughter erupted in the grill house from a corner. Smiles rested on normally sallow features. The day had been long, stressful and one big roller coaster of emotions. There was no better way to end it with a good cup of tea, a good meal and great company. But sadly, the night was coming to an end. Naruto and Sasuke might have the energy of two raging bulls, but Sakura was tired. And as much fun as the day had been she needed to go home and sleep. Wherever home was.

With this thought in mind she turned to Naruto, who was next to her. "Say, did Sarutobi-sama give you guys a key or tell you were the place was before I left?"

"Ah... actually, Minato was suppose to show us tonight. Why? Are you tired?" He looked disappointed. The blond wanted to spend as much time as he could manage with Minato.

Sakura smiled sleepily. "I am... sorry."

He grinned. "That's alright. We can go if you like."

Minato reached into his pocket and pulled out three sets of keys. "Here," he said as he dropped one into each of their open hands. "I don't mind--."

"I'll take her," Kakashi suddenly offered.

Minato arched a brow. "You sure? Do you know where it is?"

He nodded and stood up. "I do." His voice was solemn.

Minato eyes softened and he felt like an idiot. Of course Kakashi knew where it was. How could he be so callous. It was right next to his father's home. Kakashi's since his death. But the old family home had become a ghostly, deserted relic since then. Kakashi stayed with him and even now refused to go there. He couldn't blame him. If he'd found his father in a puddle of his own blood he wouldn't want to be there either.

"Alright, be careful," he offered softly.

Sakura didn't understand the exchange, but just smiled as she waved goodby to her friends. The trek home was laden with utter silence. She wasn't too surprised by it. It appeared, even as a boy, Kakashi preferred the quiet. So, she took comfort in it, her hands swinging by her sides as they walked on.

Every now and then, her hand brushed his. The first touch of his warm skin on hers made her jump a little. She'd been quick to apologize, but noted, after looking at him, he didn't seem to notice. Either that or he didn't mind. So, with a simple shrug, she'd went back to just walking and thinking her own little thoughts.

It wasn't long before they took the small steps up to the dark, Japanese style home. She blinked a times. "This is a cottage?"

Kakashi shrugged. "They all are in this neighborhood."

She shrugged as well. "Alright, well, thanks for showing me here. I guess... I'll see you later?"

"Probably," he admitted. But he wasn't moving.

She arched a brow. He still wasn't going anywhere. Why? "Um... Kakashi?"

He leveled his one good eye on her, as if he hadn't realized his thoughts were drifting at all. "Sorry.." He turned to walk away.

She felt the need to say something to him. She didn't know why. The urgency was there all the same. "I meant what I said, Hatake...!" She called. "It's not your fault..."

He stopped for a moment. To her he looked like, even from behind, to be thinking her words over. He turned around slightly, regarding her with one lazy eye. "I know... Sakura-chan." He smiled slightly, weakly. And then he turned and walked off into the night.

She couldn't help but feel something odd in the pit of her gut. She didn't know what it was. Worry? Sadness? Empathy? Her teacher was such a strong man. But the boy she'd seen tonight... was a vulnerable, timid, scarred creature. It was almost hard to imagine him as the same man.

And somewhere, deep down, she was determined to help him. They were here for a reason right? Eon had said to right wrongs. And Kakashi was a good friend. Maybe not now, but in her time he was.

She had to help him. Maybe this too was apart of the reason for being here. Kakashi was a cold man in her time, almost unreachable. A good man, but an aloof one. But here, maybe, she had half a chance of helping him; while he was still young and willing to talk.


	9. Chapter 9

**..Chapter Nine..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

The first rays of light peaked in through a pale, white curtain. The warmth drifted over and across the soft blue bedding on the platform bed. A tall form groaned beneath and the covers were tugged more soundly over his tuff of black hair.

His body ached from yesterday's activities and all he wanted to do was sleep. He had that advantage. He wouldn't have to work for a week. A whole week. How many ninja had that sort of opportunity? And simply because everyone was overly swamped with paperwork from the mass of returning shinobi. Hm? Not too damn many.

A screech sounded in the room and twin pools of ebony peaked out from beneath the covers. They narrowed on the bird across the room perched on the back of a chair. He could tell the animal was trying to look innocent.

"Hn..." He muttered as Stalker 'shrugged' his wings as if to say 'what? I didn't do it..'. He rolled back over, covering himself in the sheet and grunted. Another loud screech was heard and this time he ignored it. When the final one sounded over the room he shot up in bed.

"Damn it, Stalker! Shut up! I'll feed you in an hour. Alright?"

If it were even possible for a bird to pout? He did. His head dipped low and his eyes shut as he looked to be hanging his head in defeat.

"That's low..." he muttered. "And, it's not going to work. I can tell you that right now."

His eyes opened and he cocked his head to the side.

"No."

Stare.

"No."

Stare!

He growled before throwing the blankets off the bed and away from his form. "You're impossible, you know that?" He walked across the room and began to reach for his clothes from yesterday. It was briefly as he did this, he realized he'd have to buy some more. Wearing the same thing day in and day out was going to not only get gross but grating on his nerves. He hated shopping though... Maybe Sakura would...

SCREECH!

"Alright already!" He began to dress hurriedly. Once that was done he flung the door open to his room and without even bothering to close it he stomped down the hall. He heard wings flapping behind him and felt the settling comfort of talons on his shoulder.

"I hate you in the morning, you know that? Of course you do. Why? Because you do it on purpose. Just because you're an early riser doesn't mean you have to make it your personal vendetta to be _my_ alarm clock."

The bird just eyed him in response.

"Sorry? You think waking me up at the ass crack of dawn when you could have waited another hour or two is ok? Then you say sorry as if it makes it all better?" He rolled his eyes. "I just want one day, you know? One. It's not too much to ask for, right?"

Another look, another cocking of the head.

"Good. I'll leave the door open tomorrow. You can bribe someone else into feeding you this damn early. Eh?" This time he didn't bother to try and read the bird's response as he made his way into the main living area. Last night he hadn't had much time to take a look at the joint. He'd been too tired to care and just found an empty bedroom and fell into the mattress.

But now that he got a halfway decent look at it it wasn't too bad. The main living area, the living room and kitchen were two and the same. Only a island separated the dual rooms. He took a look over at the kitchen and glanced around the corner as he heard someone rustling about. He arched a brow as a green rounded bottom peaked out from the fridge door. "Sakura?"

A loud bang was heard. "Ow..." she muttered, wincing as she rubbed the back of her head. Green eyes flashed in his direction. "Man, Sasuke, warn me next time ok?" She grumbled something unintelligible.

He chuckled and took a seat at the island. Stalker took to perching on the bar meant for paper towel rolls. "You should be more aware of your senses."

She humorously glared at him. "Ha...ha... I'm sorry if I have a lot on my mind. Do you know we have no food here? I need to go shopping now if we expect to have any breakfast. Is Naruto up yet?"

He took a seat in one of the island stools "Nah, but hey, if you're going shopping..." He tried to look innocent. Well as innocent as Sasuke could manage.

Her eyes narrowed. "What..?"

He smirked slightly. "I ah... need clothes... we all do, don't we?"

Sakura opened her mouth to argue and then just shut it. "Yeah..." she responded defeatedly. "We all do, I suppose. Since we only brought one change for the 'short trip'." She rolled her eyes. "What a joke that was."

He nodded and tapped his fingers on the counter in an idle beat. "How long do you think we'll be here?"

She shrugged. "I'm more curious about our next task. We already saved Obito... which.. do you know anything about him?"

He shook his head. "No, there are too many clan members, or were, to count. We're all related one way or the other. So, I'm sure he's a distant cousin or uncle in some way."

She nodded and leaned into the island. "Will you go?"

"Where?"

"The compound..."

It was a touchy subject for him. Sure, Sasuke had been to the compound plenty of times since the massacre. He knew he'd have to get use to the idea of living there again once he had a family. "I have no idea. I think going there would be a bit morbid... seeing all those people?"

She paused, pursing her lips. "What if... what if you ran into Itachi? He's alive now isn't he?"

Sasuke tensed up slightly. She knew what a touchy subject that was with him. But she also knew if he let anyone ask him about it it'd be her or Naruto. "I hadn't really thought about it... Personally I think it's a good idea if we all avoided our families as much as possible. At least Naruto doesn't have to worry about that."

"Two years," she whispered, recalling their births. "Will we even be here for them?"

"Do you want to be?" He arched a brow.

She scrunched up her face. "I don't think so... Wouldn't it mess of the time line to see yourself or something?"

"Heh... you're talking to the wrong person about Quantum Mechanics." He smirked. "But, I know I don't want to meet myself."

She looked off in another direction, her eyes distant and thoughtful. "I don't think I do either."

Sasuke gave an idle yawn and waved his hand over his mouth. "Hm..." He scratched his head momentarily. "What do you think of Kakashi?"

"Now?"

He nodded. "You've spent more time with him than me in this time. What's he like?"

She paused, weighing an answer in her head. Should she confide in him? If she was going to talk to anyone about it, it might as well be him, right? She supposed so. "He's... different. I mean, he's still the same cold guy. But more so than I ever knew him to be. Even our Kakashi smiled and made a joke now and then. This guy? He so... withdrawn."

He nodded. "I get the same vibe."

"You spent a lot more time with him in the 'present'. More than any of us. He never confided in you in all those years?" Her face looked curious, like she wanted to absorb anything he had to tell her.

"Hm... Well, he was just the same guy you knew him to be. We talked more about the mission and my training than personal stuff. You know he never talks about the past."

"I know... and what about this Rin girl? Do you think she's dead in the future?" Her eyes narrowed in thought.

"I've never met her. But, we never knew about Obito until a few days ago either." He yawned again.

"Tired?" She smiled.

"Ha..." He chuckled. "You have no idea." He rubbed his eyes. "Naruto kept me up past three in the morning last night talking to Minato-sama."

She could see that. Naruto would be overly excited about meeting the very same man, the future Hokage, who'd sealed the Bijuu inside of him. "Is is just me, or do those two look an awful lot alike?"

"Minato-sama and Naruto?"

She nodded.

"It is rather uncanny. I never thought about it before because I'd never compared the two side by side. But looking at them yesterday... it hit me like a ton of bricks." His scratched his chin a few times. A stubble was starting to grow in and he need to shave--badly. Perhaps he bribe her into getting him a razor while she was out. It had always irritated him that he'd started puberty, having to do the annoying task, so much younger than anyone else.

"You don't think..." She trailed off, her voice raising in curiosity. "No.. nevermind... it's impossible."

"What?" He blinked, trying to follow her train of thought.

She idly waved a hand. "It's silly... ridiculous."

Both were silent for a long while. The clock on the wall ticked in the background. And then, as if a tidal wave had hit, Sasuke's eyes widened.

"NO!"

Sakura grimaced at his loud tone.

"No way... you can't seriously think..." His eyes remained wide as his mind reeled. It all made sense. Perfect bloody sense. It was crazy. Crazy enough to be possible.

"Yeah... well... I did say it was impossible." She muttered.

"But... his father?" Sasuke shook his head. "I mean.. wow... it sure as hell explains a lot."

She nodded. "But, it also leaves a lot of questions, hm?"

Sasuke paused, rubbed his chin and stared into space. He realized one thing and one thing only. "We can't tell him."

She blinked, confused. "Why the hell not?"

"Look at it this way... if it's not true? He'd be heartbroken when he finds out. And if it is..?"

Her shoulders dropped in realization. "When he dies..."

"If we're here that long, yes. Naruto might try to do something stupid. You know how he is. And unless the old man tells us otherwise? Namikaze Minato has to die. His life must be sacrificed to save Leaf. Imagine the ramifications? Even if someone defeats the Kyuubi because of our interference? Do you know how much of history will be altered if the Demon Fox isn't sealed in Naruto? It could affect thousands of lives and decisions. I'm no Nara Shikamaru, but it doesn't take a genius to figure that one out, Sakura."

She sighed and dropped down into a seat next to him utterly defeated. It wasn't right. "This is why he chose us," she whispered.

"Eon?"

She nodded sadly. "He knows in the end we'll make the right choices. Even if it hurts a team mate."

The silence around them echoed. Each one felt like their heart was breaking. It was terrible. The whole thing was a burden no one ever imagined any one person would have to bear. To take care of the time line. To preserve it. And to protect their friend by hurting him.

"But... what if he does something stupid anyway?" She whispered, her eyes down cast.

Sasuke reached over, taking her hand and squeezed. His eyes caught hers. He smiled softly. "We both know Naruto will do the right thing in the end, Sakura. I just think it'll be harder for him if he knows that Minato might be his father."

"You're right." Her smile was sad and brief. "You always are." She welcomed his comforting arms and he hugged her. Not in the way that made her tummy flutter. Those days were long gone. No, in the way that made her feel better because a comrade, a team mate, was trying to ease her pain.

"You'll make someone a great husband one day, Sasuke."

He chuckled softly as he held her against his chest. "Given up on me, Sakura-chan?"

She smiled and closed her eyes. "I rather like being your friend. The fan girl image never really suited me." Pause. "As long as you don't end up with Ino I won't be mad."

He pulled back and kissed her forehead with a smile. "I promise it won't be her." He smiled. "But, if you change your mind..."

She playfully shoved him with a chuckle. "You're more of a tease than you let on, Uchiha."

He shrugged. "I'm learning."

"Well," she smiled, "I'd say you're doing just fine." She pat his arm a few times. "Why don't you go back to bed? I'll go buy us some food, some supplies, and by the time I get back and make breakfast you should be plenty rested, ok?"

He nodded. "Can you do me two more favors while you're out?"

"I can try..."

"One, get me a razor or a shaving kit of some kind. Two," he jutted a finger at Stalker, "take him with you?"

She blinked. "He'll go with me..? Aren't you worried I'll do something wrong with him?"

He chuckled. "No, he'll follow your orders if I tell him to. And he can take of himself pretty well. He just needs some time outside. And I need a break from his constant chattering." He removed the shoulder perch and began to help her get it on.

"Alright, if you say so." She smiled and moved about as he tied it in place.

Sasuke turned to Stalker as soon as he finished. "Alright you, go with Sakura. Follow her orders like you would mine. Get into any trouble and it's a night in the closet for you, alright?"

He screeched in reply.

"Don't think I won't either." He grunted and turned back to Sakura. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Relax a moment."

"Huh? What are you... oh..." She blinked as a flood of Sasuke's chakra entered her own chakra system. "Whoa... how did you..."

He smiled. "Eh, I bribed the trick off another ninja with an animal nin. You'll be able to understand him for a few hours now. By the way, I'm sorry."

She blinked as he wandered back towards the hall. "Sasuke? Why are you sorry?" He didn't answer. "Sasuke!" She grumbled and turned back to the bird. "Just what have I gotten myself into?"

Stalker just cocked his head to the side before fluttering over and landing on her shoulder.

"Oh shit!" Sakura reached for the counter, not fully prepared for his the whole of his weight on her shoulder. She quickly sent some chakra there to keep from falling over, strength assisting her.

"Man... how much do you weigh?"

He blinked her.

She raised a brow as she realized she completely understood that slight movement. "Almost two pounds?!" She still didn't want to try and figure out how blinking at her translated to 'almost two pounds' but there you had it.

"Well, nevermind, let's just get going. I'm hungry and I have boys to feed since I was the only one to get any sleep last night at a decent hour." As she walked out towards the door the bird appeared to reply to her.

"Oh, I know, he can be so annoying!" She meant Sasuke. "How cryptic is that guy anyway? You're lucky you didn't know him during his Genin days... the guy..." Conversation between her and bird drifted off down the hall as she walked towards the entrance.

ooo

Sakura looked at her watch as she weaved in an out of the people walking around the market strip. Hm, eight o'clock. She'd already purchased the clothes she needed for all three of them. At least seven different outfits a piece for now. If they wanted more than that they could go shopping themselves.

Then she'd purchased all the little bathroom necessities too. All in all, she was only carrying three large bags for now. To the normal girl it would have been too much. But, thankfully, she wasn't normal. Three bags was a sinch with a little chakra strength.

Now all she had to do was purchase some groceries. Not too much. Just enough for the morning. She'd probably come back with a cart to get more later. After all, she only had two hands. And their fridge needed to be stocked. When Sakura had said nothing she meant it. There was nothing. Not even a grain of rice.

She imagined Sasuke would be up in another hour. Naruto would sleep until noon if he could help it. So, in retrospect, she had about another half hour before she needed to head home and start breakfast. Maybe she'd buy some stuff for lunch and dinner too. She didn't fancy coming back for those two meals.

She sighed slightly and stopped in front of a small grocery store. So many things were different now, just as the Third had told her. It had taken her a while the find out where everything was. Some of the places she knew weren't even there yet. What she wouldn't give for one of those nice, frothy coffee drinks right about now.

Stalker gave a soft noise next to her shoulder.

"Hm, I agree, we need to hurry," she mumbled in reply. She nudged the door open and went in.

First she would have to buy a couple of ramen cups. Naruto would pout for hours if she didn't. She maneuvered down an isle after grabbing a small basket. She scanned the shelves until she came to what she was looking for. Unfortunately... They were on a shelf too high and her hands were a tad too full. She grumbled and tried to reach. Just as her fingers grazed the lid of one cup three began to fall.

"Oh, damn..."

A hand reached out in front of her and grabbed out the three with efficiency. She blinked and turned to look over at her helper. Who was none of their than Kakashi. She smiled weakly. "Thank you."

"You should be more careful," was all he said.

She nodded. "Would you mind placing those in my basket?" She chuckled. "I kinda have my hands full, if you haven't noticed."

He arched a brow as he dropped them in. He gave a quick scan of the grocery store, eye narrowed before he turned back on her. "By yourself?" The day was still young, he knew. But rising early had never been a problem for him. He preferred it because usually it was quieter in the training areas. He could always practice a new jutsu in peace.

She nodded. "I am. I needed to get some supplies for the guys. We have nothing in that place."

"They didn't come with you?"

She shook her head with a smile. "Sasuke was up, but I told him to go back to sleep. They were up rather late. Unlike me."

He nodded and watched her as she looked over the ramen selections. Sakura, he'd decided, was a strange girl indeed. One moment she could be a hard as nails ninja, and the next? Smiling like this day was her best one. She was a conundrum. In quite a few ways she reminded him of Rin. Happy, full of expression, full of emotion and easy to show her kindness to her team and friends. And yet... she had a reserved air about her. A balance if you will. Like she was far older than her twelve years.

War affected many young ninja. Had she been affected by the war as well? In that respect, was she like him? Had something made her loose that innocence young? Or was it merely as she said? She didn't want to be left behind.

He couldn't help but be curious. He didn't know why, but he was. He'd never been curious about another person before like this, much less a woman. Maybe... maybe because of how she'd stood up to him? Or perhaps if was how she'd handled him at the grave site?

He didn't know. But he did know as soon as he'd seen her enter the grocery store on his way to the training area his body had made a sharp turn to follow.

Rin had said she loved him. But, she'd also said she'd loved Obito. And Kakashi knew Obito loved her. Love wasn't something he didn't understand, but it was something he'd never experienced before. Was this drawing he felt towards the young, pink haired ninja the beginnings of such a thing?

He pondered this a moment and imagined himself doing things he'd seen other students do in secret. Kissing, holding hands, touching innocently. He pursed his lips, thankful for the mask on his face. At least that way no one would see the great Hatake Kakashi blushing at the idea of doing such things to Sakura.

"Hey, I don't mean to bother you, but since you're here..." she started.

He looked up, pulled from his train of thought. "Yes?" At that moment, he found himself very eager to hear what she had to say.

She smiled. "Would you mind helping me get some things? I need to head back shortly and make them some food. I'll gladly make you a plate as well for your help."

He felt something blooming in his chest. Not because someone had asked him, but perhaps because it was her who had done the asking? He didn't know. He didn't understand it. Part of him didn't want to. Maybe it would be easier just to be her friend, hm? That was at least a good start. And friends, he knew, helped one another. Team mates did.

Anway, he hadn't eaten yet. So a free meal sounded perfect to him. "Sure, what do you need?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Did I ever tell anyone how much I love torturing Sasuke? Really? I mean, he gets so many hits in on Naruto. Why not? -cackles- Anyway, time to answer some questions/comments.

**DragonsRain ::** Thank you.

**Rukoh ::** Righto!

**Mateba ::** Yeah, it was cool she did that. -chuckles- And the moment between Naruto and Minato was completely unplanned. But I do want those two to get closer. Writing that scene gave me goosebumps.

**J Rock And Visual Kei fan ::** XD!!!! Thank you!

**ShyTan'ith ::** You're welcome.

**Jumpingbeans480 :**: AU? You could sorta say that. But, not too much. The ages are so varying when I went to go look them up. I mean, I did some hard core research while writing this. Naruto Wiki is a good source. But even when I found some good time line guides? They were still all over the place. I used Naruto wiki and this source: h t t p : / / forums . narutofan . com / showthread . php ? t = 162099

I read through Kakashi Gaiden and found no ages were really stated. So, I kept Kakashi at 12, Obito 13 and Rin 13. It made sense to me since he does seem a tad shorter than Obito. Minato's age was never stated, so I have him at 23 right now. When I did the math, it places the great sanin at around 37 years of age. So, in my mind Tsunade already lost Dan and her brother while Jiraiya is probably searching for Orochimaru.

Now, that being said, let me address Itachi. Right now I have the math in that he's 6. He's not 'evil' but right now he's not yet graduated the Academy. But, in my mind, because of the level of the war, and his talent, he was probably sent out with other prodigies to fight under a special contract. That being said, he's gonna be a pretty withdrawn and cold little boy.

Will he and Sasuke have any interaction? I will say yes. But I won't tell you the result or anything otherwise. That you will have to read about.

Anyway, enjoy.

Thanks for reading/Favouriting.

**--Blade**


	10. Chapter 10

**..Chapter Ten..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

"Ugh!" Sakura cried out in the kitchen. How was it possible she'd been so stupid? Hm? There wasn't a single pot, pan or plate in the whole damned place. Not a one. How had she managed to look for food and not think to make sure there were dishes to prepare it in? And to make matters worse, she didn't have any in her bag for the trip. They'd only brought energy bars because it was suppose to be short.

"Something wrong?" Kakashi asked from his seat at the island.

She sighed and closed the final cabinet door. "I don't have a single thing to cook in. This place has everything from couches, the sheets and beds. We even have electricity and water. But not a single dish." She grumbled. "I don't have enough time to go back and buy some dishes. Not to mention, we'll be thin on funds until work starts up. We only have enough to last the week on food."

"Ah.." he murmured. He placed his forearms on the counter and leaned forward. He wasn't too hungry. But, he didn't want her distressed. Naruto and Sasuke had to be hungry when she finally got them up in a few minutes. But, how could he help? He looked to her face; forlorn and distressed. He hated seeing her this way.

A thought struck him and he blinked. "Sakura?"

"Yeah?"

"I can get you some dishes."

She smiled brilliantly. "Really, where?"

He stood up and waved for her to follow him as he walked towards the entrance. "Just come with me. I'll need help getting them."

"Ok," she replied, dashing up next to him. She didn't know where he was going to get them, but if he was willing to help she was all for it. She didn't think he was going to go back to the market. She'd already told him that would take too long.

As they rounded the corner of the fence to her own place her curiosity piqued. They weren't going to the market. Instead, they went to the house right next to hers. The place looked... dilapidated. Well, not unlivable. But the outside was ridden with tall grass and vines that had long overgrown nearly everything.

"Where are we?" She asked. "Who's place is this?"

He paused as he opened the door. His hand rested on the handle. "My father's home."

"Oh..." she whispered and followed him inside. It was dark and cold. Dust thickly covered white sheets over furniture and shelves. The inside was a lot like her own, but the kitchen was closed off more. A single open entryway led in.

She stopped in the living area, her eyes pausing on a large frame over the fireplace. She was drawn to it; distracted as Kakashi walked into the kitchen. Darkness covered the image in a shadow. Pressing her lips together she took a step forward, closer and closer to the it. When she finally stood before it her breath caught.

There, with a draping background of red and white, was a man. He was tall, his hair a bright silver and spiking upward almost like Kakashi's. His lips upturned in a half smile; perhaps a smirk. His eyes were had an innocent quality to them, and yet sharp as ever. Unlike Kakashi's, you could detect a hint of blue in them; but, only if you looked closely.

He was draped in a blue robing with red symbols of some sort. And in his hand was a short sword, maybe a dagger. The blade was painted to have a white aura on the edge.

His face was bare, and... lovely. His lips were pinked and soft. His face unmarred by any residual scaring or tarnish. It was so hard to imagine anyone, an ninja, to go their life without a scratch on their face.

"What are you doing?"

Sakura jumped and turned her head to the side. Kakashi was right next to her, and looking at with a mix of anger and apprehension in his one good eye.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn mean to--that is--I.." She sighed. "I just saw the painting and.." She looked up at it. "I just wondered who it was, is all."

Kakashi followed her gaze upward. When spoke, it was in an even tone. "It's a rendition of my father."

"It's lovely."

He shrugged. "My mother painted it before I was born."

She glanced over at him. "Oh?"

He nodded and waved for her follow him. "Come one. Kitchen is this way."

She wanted to ask him more about it. She wanted to ask about his past, about his mother and why she'd painted it. However, she could tell by the slouch of his shoulders and the brief flash in his eye, he was inclined to ignore it altogether. A sigh escaped her. What would it take to get past his barrier? His wall? Sure he was talking to her and being relatively friendly. But... feh... why was she in such a hurry to find out? He'd been like this for years and it'd only been a few days. She couldn't expect him to open up that soon, right?

Still, for some unbelievable reason, she wanted to know. She wanted to know everything about Hatake Kakashi. Why he wore that mask, why he never talked about his family and why he didn't stay in this beautiful home. Why was his father such a touchy subject?

Now there was a stupid thought. Obviously because he'd committed suicide. Who wanted to talk about that? How old had been when it happened? How would she have felt if her own father had done the same?

It was perplexing. It made her hurt for him. "Kakashi?" She watched as he lifted a box of pots and pans. She took them when he handed it to her.

"Yeah?" He grabbed the last of them.

"Um... that is... if you don't mind me asking... how old were you when you lost your father?" She regretted it immediately. Once more she could tell he was clamping up, closing in and trying to keep his emotions hidden.

His voice was rigid as he walked past her. "...four."

She stood there in momentary shock, like an idiot. Four? Four years old? How... horrible. How did he find out? Did someone tell him? Heaven forbid he walked in one day and found him like that. "I'm sorry," she whispered with her head hung as she caught up with him and exited the house.

He shut the door and locked it behind them. "Don't worry about it. I don't. It's the past."

He sounded like he was trying to be so strong. So unfeeling about it. She briefly imagined a lost little boy crying at the death of his father. His silver, ashen hair draped over his face as he held his hands over his eyes. Did he cry? It was hard to imagine anyone not crying. "I do... worry that is..."

He paused, looked at her over the box of contents. "Why?"

Why? Yes, why indeed. He was a friend wasn't he? That is why this torment of nerves, the need to comfort him, hit her mind so soundly, right? She'd been there for Naruto and Sasuke many times. She had to admit it never felt like this before.

"Why wouldn't I?"

He blinked. "You hardly know me, Sakura."

"Is there some sort of requirement that says we have to friends for years for a friend to worry about another?" She arched a brow. While it was true she'd been Kakashi's friend and former student for many, many years, this boy had no knowledge of that. And as she had said to herself time and time again, he was not the same person.

"I suppose not..." He trailed off, unsure.

"Then, I'll just go on worrying about you." She smiled. "And when you're ready, if you ever want to, you can talk to me more about yourself."

He blinked again. "You want to know more about me?"

"Yeah."

"_Why?_" That thing he'd felt earlier, that rush in his chest, it was back again.

She rolled her eyes. "Because, I like you Hatake Kakashi. I'd like to be closer with you. It's obvious you need someone in your life who cares. Someone who's not scared to knock down walls." She gave a grunt and began her trek back home.

It was a good thing she walked away at that moment. Because the blush that crept up Kakashi face could not simply be hidden behind the blue of his mask. No, it came up and over the bridge of his nose.

She wanted to be closer? She liked him? Did she have any idea what she was saying? What she was talking about? Maybe, in her mind, those words were one's of friendship. But, to Kakashi, they were much more. He gave a soft sigh and walked on after her.

Were he ten or fifteen years older, those same words would have probably not affected him in the same way. Rin's never did. Then again, even though he'd always thought her a burden, she'd been more of a good friend or sister type. Not the kind of girl he would want to kiss. Not the kind walking next to him with pink hair and slick curves.

No, he said to himself as he eyed her soft smiling features. Rin had never made his heart beat fast or his pulse race. Rin had never made him quit his regular morning routine to eat breakfast. And Rin had never gotten him to go into his old home just to get a few dishes; to avoid that sad look on her face.

"I like you too," he whispered.

"Hm?" She asked, looking over at him as they walked up the stairs to the house.

He shook his head. "Nothing." _What a fool I am, acting like a besotted idiot,_ he scolded himself. Sakura wanted friendship. And Hatake Kakashi was never good at emotions. As a shinobi he'd always repressed his. The mask had originally been worn to hide the expressions he couldn't keep in at first. As he'd grown older and became more able to do so, the mask became a shield. And now, more than ever, it was a habit he was glad for. And the emotions he'd spent so long repressing were now backfiring on him.

All the feelings he was starting to have for Sakura were new to him. He'd never liked a girl. He had no idea how to act around her, what to say to her. And even if he wanted to ask her out, how would he go about it?

He glanced over at her as she set the box down and began to rinse out a frying pan.

Life was short. He knew that better than anyone. So, somehow, some way, Hatake Kakashi was going to have to find the nerve to court Sakura. What a prospect. His nerves were jolting in fear just at the idea of it.

ooo

About an hour later, bellies full and smiles plastered on many a face everyone was ready to start the day. Kakashi urged a soft smile in Sakura's direction, determined.

"Sakura?"

"Hm?" She chewed and looked up from her plate, finishing off the last of her hot meal. She reached for a napkin and wiped her face. She could see he was smiling behind the mask. She smiled back warmly.

"The food was wonderful. Thank you."

She blushed unexpectedly; her eyes closed a little in her chagrin. "Aw, it wasn't anything too great. But, I appreciate it."

Naruto grinned. "It _was_ great, Sakura." He stood up and took their plates.

She blinked. "Thank you, Naruto... but I can.."

He shook his head. "No, it's alright. I need to get going anyway."

She blinked. "Where?"

He grinned once more. "Minato-sama has agreed to teach me."

Sakura's eyes immediately flashed to Sasuke's. Her's were almost questioning. In response, his own narrowed. But, she could tell he didn't have a clue either. While it was troublesome to think about Naruto getting close to Minato... could she really do anything to stop it from happening?

"Alright," she smiled, "have a good day then." She waved as he ran out the door. And then she watched as Sasuke stood up. She arched a brow. "And where are you heading off to?"

"While you were gone a messenger came from the tower. I'm needed today." He reached for his leather shoulder guard and began to slip it on.

"They already have our paperwork together?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea. But, they said the matter was urgent. So, I need to go now."

"Alright..." she trailed off and waved as he left with Stalker in tow. A sigh escaped her. Where did that leave her today? She had nothing to really do. The house was left impeccably clean having only just been leased. She didn't have any duties. No tasks. And since Sarutobi had told her to stay away from the hospital until next Monday, well... she had nothing to do.

She looked over at Kakashi, who had someone managed to eat his meal again without allowing anyone to see his face. It was probably something he'd mastered years ago.

"Do you have anything to do today?" He asked her.

"No why?"

He smiled again. The expression, he found, was slowly becoming more and more easier around her. "I was curious if you'd like to train with me. I was on my way there this morning, by myself. But, training alone won't be much of a challenge. At least, not with this new eye..."

She understood. Using the Sharingan was still new to him. While he could easily do that alone, with the new bloodline technique having a partner made it easier to accomplish. Then you would have someone to read movements from. She saw nothing wrong with his request.

Smiling, she nodded. "I'd be honored to join you. But, I am curious... why not just ask Obito to help you out? He knows more about the eye than I do."

His eyes downcast and his lips twitched slightly. He couldn't very well tell her he just wanted to spend time with her, could he? No, this was all still new to him. "Well.. I... " he trailed off.

She blinked. "Yes..?"

He might as well spit it out. "I want to train with you. Not Obito. It's a matter of preference."

"Oh," she said, not really catching his meaning. He looked like he was at a crossroads. But it was still hard to really tell with that mask on how he was truly feeling. She supposed she was reading too much into it. "Well, let me grab my pouch and then we can be off."

"Great," he said with a relieved smile. Maybe this wasn't going to be too hard after all.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Aw! Kakashi's so cute! And Sakura had no friggin' clue! She's about as dense as Naruto right now. I want you all to know in the next few chapters this story should progress by about an year or two. It all depends. I know I don't want Sakura to know just yet how Kakashi feels about her or is starting to feel. And when he does tell her, I want them to be solid friends. Very close by that point. I want it to come as something of a shock to her. -smiles- But, I do need them to be about sixteen by that point. Sex at fourteen is little too much for me -wrinkles nose- Ninja or no, I just can't do it.

I'm hoping this story will be about 20-25 chapters by the time I'm done. Now to answer some questions/responses.

**Rukoh ::** I write them all on the fly XD I suppose I am fast. But it's the only way I know how to do it.

**J Rock and Visual Kei fan ::** I think I might have too. -laughs- But Sasuke needs someone to torture him aside from Naruto.

**Kelly ::** Thank you! I hope this was soon enough for you!

**--Blade**


	11. Chapter 11

**..Chapter Eleven..**

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**..**

Sasuke knocked on the solid oak door before him. It wasn't the Hokage office he'd been called to, but one of the many mission rooms in the tower. People passed him by going to other rooms. Many of them were young, as young as he looked to be. It was almost sad to think some of these children were already Jounin; had already seen the same, if not more, bloodshed and death as he had come across in his own eighteen years of life.

"Come!" He heard the Third's voice beyond the door.

With no hesitation he reached for the knob and opened the door. It was shut carefully behind him. Once he entered he knelt respectfully before the man sitting at the long table next other Jounin advisers. He dropped his head in the same regal respect. Even Stalker mimicked his movements. "Hokage-sama."

One of the Jounin males arched a brow at his actions. "An Uchiha, Sarutobi-sama? He's the first I've ever met with this level of humility."

Sarutobi chuckled. "You may stand, Sasuke."

He nodded and did so.

"And one with an animal nin to boot. A hawk? Interesting. Tell me, Uchiha, are you close with the Inuzuka clan?" This from the same Jounin.

Sasuke smirked slightly. "No, not exactly. Stalker has been with me for a number of years. Our relationship developed unexpectedly."

He nodded. "Interesting. Is your chakra aligned with him as well?"

Sasuke nodded. "It is."

He blinked. "And he's not a summon?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No, he is my partner."

The man looked impressed and he said as much. "Impressive. To have become so close with an animal, one untrained by the clan, by mere whim... well... You are indeed accomplished, Uchiha-sama."

"Thank you, sir." His eyes turned to Sarutobi. "Is this the reason I was called here? I was told the matter was an urgent one."

"No, not at all. I have a small mission for you. One that pays rather well, actually." He pulled one of the scrolls out of the pile before him. He unrolled it. "As you know, war has left many young children without parents or ones who have yet to return from the field. It might be weeks before they all trickle back in our gates safely."

Sasuke nodded.

"I would have picked someone else for the task, but, you are one of the few accomplished of the clan who is not busy at the moment. That and I managed to get your paper work done just for this." He set the scroll down and placed a pipe between his lips. He lit the object and puffed a few times, expelling smoke from betwixt his lips.

Sasuke's brows arched. "Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but, I'm not following you."

He shook his head. "I'm not being clear. It's perfectly fine. What I need you to do is take on responsibility of one of the Uchiha children. It won't be for too long. Just until his parents return home."

"Al...right..." Sasuke said, only half apprehensive. It made sense. Leaving one of the kids in the care of a clan member would ease their worry; their fear over their parents being gone. "What do I have to do?"

"Nothing to great. Keep him with you or stay in his home. Make sure he's fed and bathed. See to it he attends class at the Academy. The boy can pretty well take care of himself, so it won't be too much trouble. However..."

"Yes?" He didn't like the sound of that 'but' in there.

Sarutobi sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "However, this boy is one of a few who were sent to the battlefield for a time when our resources were limited."

"_What?!_" Sasuke hissed, his face ridden with rage. "You sent a child, ungraduated, to a _war zone_? What the hell were you thinking?" Sasuke very rarely lost his temper. In fact, it was almost nonexistent. But, to hear a boy, a child, was sent to battle like an adult or prepared Academy grad... it hit too close to home for his heart. It was unthinkable.

The Jounin who'd praised him moments ago admonished him. "Hold your tongue, Uchiha. You're speaking to the Hokage. You will exercise some restraint and respect."

Sasuke addressed him with a cool stare. "I don't give a damn if he's the Kami himself." His eyes turned back to Sarutobi. "They kids. Not your damned tools, Hokage-sama. Sending them into a blood bath... unprepared... it's unthinkable... do you know what that kind of thing does to a young mind? Do you?"

"It was needed," he said calmly.

Sasuke's jaw clenched, his hands in fists, close to drawing blood. "You try coming home to your entire _family_ laid out in blood and then you can talk to me about needs, Hokage-sama. No child," he said with a angered, heated tone, "should ever go through that. _Ever_."

The room was silent for a while, Sasuke's words left hanging in the air. Even the Jounin who'd admonished him moments ago had his eyes down cast.

Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, grief in his eyes. "Then perhaps you can help this child, since you understand his pain so well." He sighed. "We've all lost people to war, Sasuke. Forgive me for my actions... but sometimes... the choice is not ours."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. His blood boiled. His form shook in checked rage. He felt like hitting something. Stupid old men and their politics. If Naruto ever became Hokage he'd see to it this sort of thing never happened again. No child would ever go through the same pain he'd felt. The same terror.

"Who's the kid?" He asked, still upset but wanting to move on.

"Here's his file." He handed Sasuke a folder. "You can meet with him soon. He'll be leaving the Academy shortly. But, I warn you... he's not like other children. He's a prodigy like Kakashi. But, unlike Kakashi... he was exposed a little too soon."

"No shit," Sasuke muttered. "Am I done here?" He snapped.

Sarutobi nodded. "You're dismissed."

Without another word Sasuke left the room, file under his arm and a scowl on his face. Who did they think they were? Just because a child was a genius, a prodigy, didn't mean they were ready to handle the horrors of war. It was ridiculous. How old was he anyway? How old had been when he'd brought down his first enemy, ending their life? Had anyone been there for him? Prepared him?

Many a ninja could be turned bad simply because they weren't prepared for the scars of war. He'd known many on his journey. Killing them, ending their life, had been done out of mercy alone. The fear, the blood lust in their eyes was enough to nearly break him each time.

Well, he supposed he might as well prepared himself for his new ward. He flipped open the file. But as soon as the name and image was scanned? He had to stop himself from dropping the papers altogether. There, in perfect black and white, stats and all, was his name. The name, and face he'd sworn he'd never again encounter without a deadly intent.

_Uchiha Itachi_

ooo

Black coal orbs stared across the playground as several children took advantage of the swing sets after class let out. Some of them flung kunai at a target a couple feet away. Pale hands held his perfectly angular cut cheeks on either side. Elbows were bent on his knees, black pants covering them. His lips were not curled into the expecting pout for a child left to himself. His black strands were far too long for a boy his age. And often, because of that and his unparalleled skill, he was left to himself. Many children shied away from him. Not simply because of his cold, aloof nature, but also because of what he'd been sent to do.

They talked about him behind his back. They pointed. And some of the braver ones made fun of him to his face. A good distance away, but to his face. They knew he couldn't really do anything to them. Not with the teachers always so close by.

He was one of the few kids to return from the war. One of the undergrads.

He released the hold on his face and looked down at his hands. He rubbed his fingers together as he stared, expressionless. A flash hit him, blood dripped from his digits; and for a moment he saw a kunai in his hand, fleshing tearing on it. He close his eyes, his hands shaking as he tried to will the image away.

"Hey! Genius!"

He looked up, eyes narrowing on the sight of a tall boy. He was a whole class below him. A bully with no regard to respect. He was a talented ninja, Rohku, but not as good as he was. The older boy resented him for that. He made it his vendetta to make fun of him for his skills. Their tiffs never went to blows. Normally because a teacher was about. Normally because he was good at keeping himself in check. And normally because Rohku was too afraid to actually do anything more than call names or insults.

His eyes narrowed another fraction as he spoke.

"Aw, what's wrong, Genius? Mommy and daddy still gone?" He made a face, pouting mockingly. "Aw, poor little Uchiha doesn't have his parents." He laughed as a few children gathered around. "Who's gonna pick you up, huh?" He snickered. "You gonna cry, Genius? You gonna wimp out again? The teacher isn't around this time. Who's gonna save you now, huh?"

A girl, no older than him, and no taller either, came up from the crowd. Her dark eyes flashed with worry and her long brown hair whipped around her, free from it's ties. "Rohku! Stop this! Leave him alone. You know you're no match for him. And anyway, he's not bothering anyone."

Rohku snickered. "Shut up, Seiya. This little punk needs to be taught some manners. He needs to know who his betters are, eh? Right, Genius?"

It was then the small boy of six stood up. The crowd of children took a step back, visibly trying to quell their fear. The only two who didn't were Seiya and Rohku. He cocked his head down slightly, eyeing Rohku with one visible orb of ebony.

"You got something to say, punk?"

Black orbs narrowed again. When he spoke, his voice was low and raspy. "You're not even worth my time."

That seemed to piss the older boy off pretty bad. Because suddenly he charged forward, pushing Seiya aside as she tried to stop him. "I'll kick your ass!"

As the black haired boy prepared himself to defend his ground, something happened. One moment, Seiya was falling, and the next she was standing just fine. Confused expression on her face. And then, there was this tall form in front of him, blocking the older kid. He didn't know what to make of the tall legs in his face, covered in black shinobi pants. As his cold eyes trailed up, he saw the spike of black hair turned upward and the feathers of a brown and red hawk.

Sasuke scowled and released the bully's hand. "I could have you expelled from the Academy for attacking a fellow Leaf ninja unauthorized."

Rohku's eyes were wide with fear. "Who... who are you, man?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Your ticket to detention if you don't hightail it out of here."

Without another word he left, dust trailing behind him as the crowd broke up and dispersed. Sasuke looked over at the young girl, kneeling as she wiped her eyes. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Thank you..." She sniffed.

He smiled softly. "Go on, it's over now. Go find your friends."

"Ok," she agreed with a smile and dashed off.

Sasuke watched her a moment longer before turning to the little boy. His brother. His charge. It was an odd feeling, staring at the same cold eyes of the man who would one day make his life hell. What an irony. He'd yelled at the Hokage about Itachi because of what Itachi had done, would do, years later from now. It was a morbid twist of fate. But he couldn't very well back out of it now. Not after the scene he'd caused.

And anyway... if anything... spending time with him might just help him figure out why he'd ever done it. Or maybe it would help him defeat him in the future... Who knew. It was weird and he didn't like it one bit.

"Well," he began, still kneeling, "I'm your new guardian. Uchiha Sasuke."

Itachi eyed him warily. His lips were still a flat line.

"And you're Itachi, right?"

He didn't even nod. Instead, he turned, grabbing his small bag and began to walk away. "I can handle myself just fine. You didn't need to interfere."

Sasuke arched a brow and stood. Stalker gave him an odd look. He ignored it and followed after the boy. "Perhaps you're right. But, as much fun as it would have been to watch you pound him into the ground? I don't fancy sitting in the Academy director's office for an hour trying to explain why you were justified."

Itachi said nothing, he just kept walking.

"I guess that broody behavior you exhibit gets you quite a few fan girls, hm?" He knew he was reaching for straws. But anything to get him to talk would be nice. Itachi was not like this in his time. Well, when he was a good brother, that is. He'd always been cold. But down right recluse? Sarutobi was right. He was far worse than Kakashi.

Itachi turned his face up to glare at him a moment. He turned away sharply, feeling the look was enough.

"Well... I suppose I need to tell you what we're doing."

"I'm going home. You can do whatever you wish."

"He speaks!"

Itachi glared again.

Sasuke smirked. "We need to get your things."

"Why?"

"Because, you're staying with me."

Itachi wrinkled his nose. "No, I'm not."

"I'm afraid you are. See, unlike you, I don't live in the compound. I live with my team. And I'm not going to live there. So, until your parents return home? You'll be with me."

Itachi stopped walking. As he did, so did Sasuke. Cold orbs of ebony looked up at him. "Let's get one thing strait, Uchiha. I don't need you. I don't need anyone. I was managing just fine on my own before they even had the resources to find me a guardian. So, why don't you just go home and leave me be. I won't even bother letting them know you aren't watching me, ok?"

"Are you done?"

He eyed him, not responding.

"Good, now, let me get one thing strait with you," his voice was one of authority. "I was given a mission. To take care of you. You are now my ward. Your problems are my problems. You issues mine. I take my duty as a shinobi seriously. Now," he stated, kneeling to meet his eyes level. "You can do as I tell you and I'll let you go about your own way for the most part--the easy way. Or, you can give me hell and we can do this the hard way." Sasuke cracked his knuckles. "Personally, I like the idea of hunting you down and making this experience terrible for you. But hey, it's your choice."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

Sasuke smirked, eyes turning just as deadly as he flashed his fully matured Sharingan. "Do you have any idea why Sarutobi chose me?"

Itachi jolted slightly, eyes widening a moment. His jaw clenched once he realized this twelve year old was most likely a Jounin and obviously stronger than he. "Fine," he muttered. He turned, nearly stomping off in the direction of the compound.

Sasuke couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him. Ah, that had been a lot more fun that he had intended it to be. But how many times did you get the opportunity to mess with your older brother? Especially when he wasn't the same guy he hunted down, hm? No, this Itachi was not like either faces he knew... but... he was definitely fun to mess with.

ooo

Minato stared down at his hands, pursing his lips. Naruto sat off to the left of him, drinking from a water bottle and sweating profusely. The day was slowly coming to an end. And the time he'd spent working with the boy had been exhilarating. He was a talented ninja, this much was true. He had skills most ninja at his age would kill for and relish. How had such a child, a young man, acquired so many talents so young? He might have a thing or two to teach him.

But, currently his mind wasn't really pondering that. No, currently he was trying to sort out how to make a certain technique better. As of now, it was still incomplete.

"You alright, sensei?" Naruto asked from his seated position.

Minato looked over at him, brow arching. "I am... simply contemplating."

"Oh? About?"

He shrugged. "A certain technique I'm working on." He smiled. "Would you like to see it?"

Naruto grinned. "Yeah, definitely."

He nodded. "I've only ever shown it to Jiraiya-sensei." He let his one hand drop to his side and the other was held out in front of him. He allowed a rush of chakra to flow through his system and down his arm. He visualized the spin and then, in a rush of gathering blue energy, the ball formed.

Naruto blinked. "Rasengan."

Minato nodded with a grin. "You've heard of it?"

"Ah, well, that's one way of putting it." If he only knew, Naruto thought to himself. Jiraiya himself had told him the technique was incomplete. That the Fourth had intended to always do something more with it. And Naruto had literally made it his own. It was almost a shame he couldn't show him.... or could he?

He watched at Minato dispelled the technique in a burst of blue chakra. "Sensei?"

"Yeah?"

He tapped his chin a few times and pursed his lips. How would he go about this? How could he tell his sensei he knew the technique? He'd want to know where he'd learned it from. And so far he hadn't taught anyone but Jiraiya, right? Oh... this was most perplexing on his mind. Down right irritating. And Naruto had almost no patience. He knew he couldn't go blurting it out. They had a cover story to keep up.

"Naruto?"

He grumbled. "Sensei, what would say if I told you I already knew how to preform that technique? Theoretically speaking?"

Minato blinked. "I'd say you either made it yourself by mere coincidence... or.. you were stalker and learned by watching me for years." He smirked. "But, as the latter seems a tad silly not to mention impossible, I'd lean more towards the first. Why?"

Naruto stood up and dug his hands into his pockets. He sighed. "You see, I've seen Jiraiya preform the technique himself." That was at least true.

"You've met Jiraiya?" He took a step towards him.

Would it hurt to lie? Hadn't they already? As far as he knew, Jiraiya would be on his trek in the outside world for many years to come. Surely, there was no chance of him coming back while they were here. Minato would never find out the old sage didn't know him. Right? Oi, he hoped so. This was a huge risk. Still, he should go about it in a less than conspicuous way. Because if Jiraiya did come back, and he did speak to Minato, then there would be a lot of questions. Better to lie, yes. He hated it, but there it was.

"I've only seen it preformed by him. It was in passing on the battlefield. But, I used what I saw and tried to replicate it."

Minato wasn't exactly buying it. The Rasengan was not something you could just see and do. It required a lot of hard work, patience and skill. If this boy had mastered it, at his age, he would have had to have spent days, weeks even, with bloody fingers. Not to mention he would have had to have been watching pretty hard to catch how the ball was made.

Still... he doubted he was lying. Naruto didn't seem the type.

"Show me," he almost demanded.

Naruto blinked. "Really?"

He nodded. "If you're you're going to make a high claim like that at least back it up, boy." He smiled.

Naruto grinned. "Sure." He took a few steps away from Minato and began to preform the seals. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" In a puff of smoke, next to him, a clone appeared. He held his hand out. The clone quickly made the movements form him. A moment later, the ball formed and clone disbursed. "There," he said with a grin.

Minato took a few steps forward and examined the ball of swirling energy. "Huh..."

"What?" Naruto looked worried and dispersed it. "Was something wrong with it?"

Minato turned his intrigued eyes to catch his own in his gaze. He smiled softly. "No, nothing. I just never thought of using a clone in that manner before. Can you do anything else with it?"

Naruto suddenly smiled. "Actually..."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN: **Well, there you have it. I swear I need to update my other stories. People are starting to complain. XD Someone even told me they were going to bite me if I didn't update 'The Bet'. -pouts- You guys wouldn't bite me would you?

**--Blade**


	12. Chapter 12

**..Chapter Twelve..**

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Laughter bubbled from her as delicate ebony-leather covered digits were spread slightly in front of her lush, pink lips. Her face lit up in happiness. Most days, it was likely Naruto would get this sort of rise out of her; this kind of emotion. Sure, she smiled and laughed with her friends. But, this sort of laughter and smiling was 'raw' in so many more aspects.

When he was her teacher he'd always been a bit of a hard ass. But, a nice one. An oddity too. Whoever heard of a teacher reading pillow books in front of their twelve year old students? The very idea was silly; better left in a good book itself. However, it was were those quirks, his smiles, his frowns and his trademark posture that made Kakashi who he was. And she wouldn't have traded him in for anything in the world. He wasn't normal, but then, who really was?

"So," she started, laughter finally ebbing, "your team, Rin and Obito. You guys seem pretty close."

Kakashi nodded, hands dug into his pockets as they walked towards the training area. "We are, I suppose. But, you are with yours too?"

She smiled. "Oh, yes, we weren't at first though. I couldn't stand Naruto the moment I met him."

"And Sasuke?"

"Sasuke?" She smirked. "Ah well, I had a crush on him during our Academy days. It sorta of continued on into our Genin days after that. And then well..." she shrugged, letting it hang at that.

Kakashi felt something drop in his core. She was already involved? And with a team mate? He turned his gaze forward, and if it was possible, he slouched further. It wasn't that hard to imagine. Sasuke was a good looking man. Well, boy he supposed. The Uchiha was nothing like Obito. Like Sakura, he had an air about him that made him seem ages older than his small body revealed.

"You must love him very much," he murmured wistfully.

She smiled. "I do. Him and Naruto both were there for me in ways I never imagined." She frowned. "When we were separated for a time... it was odd. I was so use to having my team with me. However, knowing they weren't there for a while gave me time to get better myself, to be able to prove to them I was just as capable as they would become."

"How long have you been together?" He meant Sasuke.

"My team and I?" She tried to work the numbers in her head, counting, so it matched this time line. "Hm... lets, see... about four or five years."

"No," he shook his head. "You and Sasuke."

She arched a brow. "Me and... Sasuke?" She blinked, trying to catch his meaning. When it hit her she started laughing.

"I fail to see what is so funny..."

She just kept on laughing, hold her stomach as she stopped. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-kun. Really, I am. But you see, I'm not romantically involved with Sasuke." She grinned. "With anyone."

He blinked, stopping to stare at her. "Truly?"

She nodded, grinning. "Why?"

He scratched the back of his head, his eye slightly downcast. "Ah... I suppose it just sounded like you were." Kami, that sounded pathetic.

Sakura, for all her credit, didn't seem to notice it was odd at all. She shrugged. "It's no problem. I would have thought the same thing, now that I think about how I worded it." She wrinkled her nose and clasped her hands behind her back as they walked.

"So, who was your sensei?" The thought suddenly came to his mind. Sakura and her team had met Minato, but none of them had spoken two words about who'd been their former team leader.

"My sensei?" She blinked.

He nodded, looking over at her curious expression. "Your Jounin team leader."

Sakura suddenly smiled nervously, her eyes closed a moment as a small blush danced across her cheeks. Oh, well, how to explain this one, eh? She didn't have to say his name, right? Just tell him about... himself? How... odd...

"My teacher... well..."

He watched as her eyes went distant, and her face turned upward in happy memories dancing before her thoughts. He could almost see them.

"He's an interesting guy, that's for sure. When my team first met him he asked us about ourselves." She grinned and dug her hands into her skirt pockets. "And then he told us to be at the training ground at some god awful hour in the morning." She rolled her eyes, so caught in her memories she forgot who she was speaking to. "And do you know he showed up late? Hours late? After he told us not to eat breakfast?" Her eyes turned to his. "And do you know what he said when we accused him of being late?"

"No?"

She scowled, lost in thought. "He told us a black cat crossed his path. And grinned!"

Kakashi blinked at that.

She grumbled a moment. But just as soon as she did that a smile bloomed on her face. "It was a tad annoying. Especially with that dumb bell test we had to do..." She smirked. "We failed the first time around.... and then... he told us..."

He listened intently, not bothering to tell her Minato had done the same thing with them. He didn't want to interrupt her.

She sighed sadly. "He said, in the ninja world those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends are worse trash." She shook her head. "We didn't understand it at first. He told us that day he lost a lot friends to battles. That all the people he cared about were dead. I almost..." she sighed and looked down, trailing off. "I really felt bad for him. I can't imagine not having my team around. I imagine he lost his a long time ago." She smiled brightly once more, still not really thinking about who she was speaking to. "He would read these annoying smut books. He still does. Pillow books is more like it." She wrinkled her nose. "All the time too. Even on a mission. He--."

"Those words... the expression he said to you, where did he get it?" Kakashi's voice was urgent.

Sakura stopped walking, reality finally dawning on her. Oh damn... Obito had said those words. And Kakashi, this Kakashi, had changed because of them. Shit, how could she have been so careless?

"Ah... well... it was just something he told us..." She shrugged, hoping he would accept her excuse.

Kakashi eyed her for a moment, and she got the distinct impression he was trying to dissect her. Because, it was the same look she'd seen him give many an enemy over the rolling plains of a battlefield. It was the same look he'd given Zabuza years ago on their first serious mission.

He watched her with his one good eye a moment longer before simply turning and walking again; hands in his pockets, body slouched in that trademark position. "Your sensei must be a wise man indeed."

She took a few seconds to cool her features from slight shock that, maybe, just maybe, he'd bought her excuse. She caught up with him after a short jog and went back to meeting his pace on their way to the training area. "His is..."

"Where is he now?"

"Oh.. well," she began as she placed her hands behind her head in a Naruto sort of way, "he's still on a confidential mission. The same one we were on directly from the Hokage. I doubt he'll be return for a couple years..." The lie easily rolled off her lips. As a ninja your job was to lie and deceive. But Sakura hated it all the same. Especially when she had to do it to someone so close to her in her own time; someone who was gradually becoming close to her in this one.

He nodded, accepting this as they passed the gates into the open field. It took a few more steps and they were there. It was the same place Sarutobi had trained the great Sanin. The same place Jiraiya had trained Minato's team. The same place he'd been trained.

But, unknown to him, it was the same place that he, years from now, would train team seven.

Sakura did relish this a bit, but intelligently didn't let it slip as she had earlier with other things. She glanced over at Kakashi as they stopped near the tree. She set her small pack down next to it. It was then, with careful consideration, she noted the yellow tape and some construction around the area where the monument would be built.

"Kakashi?"

"Hm?" He turned to her.

"Have you used the Sharingan before?"

He nodded. "During the fight with the Rock nin, yes. However..."

"Yeah?"

He shrugged. "Using it zaps a lot of my chakra."

She nodded. "That's something you'll have to grow use to. Many bloodline techniques do that."

He arched a brow, his good eye trained on her own two, twin pools of emerald. "You know much about it?"

This time she shrugged. "I do, I guess. Probably not as much as an Uchiha clan member. Sasuke or Obito could help you better than I. Most of my knowledge is medical based. I had to learn it to become a proper medic."

"What can you tell me?"

"Well," she laid one arm over her stomach, her other with a free hand, fingers tapping her chin. She looked up slightly as she tried to recall what she'd learned in text books from her shishou. "The Sharingan is a technique that allows one to see past all type of jutsu. Genjutsu, taijutsu and regular jutsus are not immune to it's revealing gaze. When one first gains the technique they generally start with two tombs in either eye. Once it fully matures it changes to three tombs over time. However, there is a final stage..."

"Final?" He blinked.

She nodded. "I don't really know the details. It's all very vague. I'm not even sure of the name, to be truthful. But, whatever it is, once you achieve it, you can create massive illusions and trap your enemy in them with just your eyes. Of course, you can do this with a regular Sharingan, but it's not nearly as powerful. It's curious, but the possibilities are endless. Also, if you're good enough, you can copy techniques."

"How so?" He was avidly curious.

She looked at him and placed her hands on her hips. "Well..." she sighed, trying to remember. "For instance, while an inexperienced user of the bloodline limit might be able to see his opponents quick movements or techniques, they may not be fast enough themselves to defend against them. Or, they may not be able to replicate them because their body isn't ready for the jutsu. But, with hard work, many techniques can be copied. Or so I've read."

Interesting, he thought. Copying techniques? It was an amazing revelation. He was just sorry Obito had to nearly die for him to gain such a gift. When he'd first returned, that same night, Kakashi had went to him later after Sakura had been taken home. He'd tried to return the gift, talk him into it. But, the stubborn Uchiha had told him he was no Indian giver. His exact words were, 'I'm not taking it back. It was a gift.' He'd chuckled and continued, 'Now we're stuck to one another forever, ass. You'll never be rid of me because I'll always be apart of you. And by having my eye you'll never be apart from me.' And with a serious, solemn and revering look in his one good eye, he'd finished with, 'You're my bother because of that eye. It won't change. I don't want it to.' And then the lazy boy had walked off, leaving him there to contemplate his words.

"I'd like to try it," he said suddenly.

"Sure, we can do that. What kind of technique would you like me to preform?" She started to walk towards the center of the green area.

He followed a good distance behind her and called out, "Something difficult!"

"Ok, if you insist. Shall I surprise you?" She grinned shamelessly.

"Do your worst," he called back with a smile of his own.

She nodded once and prepared herself. There was in fact a number of techniques she'd been working on. Many of them genjutsu. She supposed, as she watched him lift the headband and reveal the eye, if she were going to do anything difficult it might as well be an illusionary technique.

Her hands quickly preformed the seals. Once she was done and breeze swept the area. The words to pass her lips were a whisper. "Tears of The Goddess..."

Kakashi tensed up, preparing himself. As he watched, her form became engulfed in flower petals. They seemed to come out of now where, spinning around her until he could see her no longer. And then, just when he tried to figure out where she had gone or what she was doing, the scene around him began to shift...

He relaxed slightly, the smell of cool air and sweet roses hitting his senses. Endless fields of flowers were all around him. They went on for miles. He felt serene, comfortable and... safe. He'd never felt that way before. He couldn't remember if he had.

"Kakashi!" A voice laughed from behind him.

He turned, blinking. A flash of pink danced in his peripheral vision. But when he turned again, there was nothing.

"Kakashi-kun!" Again, with the teasing, calling, sweet voice filled with laughter saying his name.

"Sakura...?" His voice was a whisper as he turned. But the more the name called and the more he tried to find it's direction the less he found he could see the flash of pink. It was driving him nuts. His body was flaming with life, happiness and mixed with frustration. His utmost desire was to find her right then.

"Bet you can't find me...!" Her voice rang out across the hills. "I'll give you a present if you do..." she called out impishly, echoing in his ears.

He found himself smirking and dashing off into the fields of flowers, battle forgotten. The only thing on his mind at that moment was ferreting out that flash of pink taunting him from who knew where.

He ran and ran, following her laugh and footsteps in the dirt that got louder and louder. And then he saw it, a flash of green and pink, laying in the grass as she looked up at the clouds. when he dropped next to her, she smiled and sat up. He couldn't help as another blush crept up from behind his mask when she touched her hand to his cheek.

"You found me..." she whispered with a smile.

He couldn't speak as she leaned forward, face closing in towards his own. Her lips brushed past his cheek and moved next to his ear. "Want your present, _Ka-ka-shi_?"

"Ah..." he still couldn't form coherent words. Not before this taunting siren who had him under her spell.

She laughed softly, coyly. "Alright... close your eyes, Kakashi-kun."

He did, shyly so and without reservation. It was then he felt soft, delicate fingers on the edging of his mask, tugging. His heart ramming in his chest at what she might do. Fear immediately sliced through him and he grabbed her wrists tightly, shaking as his eyes flashed open. His mask was his most guarded yet painful shield. It had been like a security blanket as he grew up. First to hide his emotions and later... to hide himself. As much as he... felt something for her... allowed himself to be vulnerable before her... that he could not do. Not yet. As he caught her confused gaze in his own, it was then the reality of the situation dawn on him.

Genjutsu.

"Sharingan!" His voice cried out. _Reveal the secret to me,_ he whispered to his mind, ordering it. In a flash, the technique dispelled. He was at the training ground again, never having once moved from his place. Neither had she.

She smiled at him, hands at her side as a breeze swept by a tousled her strands. "Good job, Kakashi. I wasn't sure if you'd break that at all. You were standing there for quite a while."

He blinked. "You mean... you weren't in the illusion yourself?"

She blinked back, eyes confused. "No, of course not. It's a technique that traps the user in a place they find the most desirable. If I were to have gone in myself I could have very well trapped myself in my own jutsu." She grinned.

So... she had no idea. None whatsoever. He wasn't sure if he was happy about the information or saddened that it had only been his imagination, not her, who had conjured such an unreality up.

"Are you alright?" She arched a brow. "I know the technique can be... heartbreaking. I mean, being pulled from your utmost fantasy does generally suck. Usually, it's a technique used for a mercy kill. This way the enemy dies happily." She grumbled. "Sadly, it's still incomplete..."

Drawing out of his own musings, thoughts, he walked across the way to her. "How so?"

"Well, originally, the genjutsu had been intended for an offensive attack. I'm trying to find a way to use the petals as a weapon. An illusionary weapon, but one all the same. This is a good technique on it's own... but, I still want to tinker with it."

He nodded in understanding. "Making your own technique is never easy. You have to have a good grasp of chakra and knowledge of the system itself." He shrugged. "Or, just inherently know what works best."

She wrinkled her nose and nodded. "You're right, I guess." She looked at him. "Do you want to go at it some more?"

"Definitely." He smiled. "Day isn't over yet."

"No," she spoke with laughter in her voice, "it's not."

ooo

A loud clamoring was heard from the house of the three ninja from a very different time. And to the avid listener it might had sounded like a pot hit the side of the wall. For the four people who stood paused before the doorway, it wasn't something they expected to hear. Mild shock made them take pause.

But, the next set of words to pass over their ears made the unknown situation even more curious.

"God damnit, you little monster! I swear if you don't get over here right now I'll tie you down!"

Another crash was heard, another bang. Footsteps rattled through the home.

"Let go of me, idiot!"

At the sound of a child's voice, and angry one at that, all four people hurried into the home. The sight that greeted them in the living room was one of humor and confusion. Pots, books, and papers were strewn all over the room. A few chairs were turned over and even a couch had fallen over on it's back. But there, in the center, was the most perplexing image of all.

Sasuke had a small boy by the scruff of his shirt. Both were glaring at one another. Sasuke had his free hand on his hip as he bent over to look the ebony haired kid in the eyes. Both boys had their coal depths narrowed. And neither noticed their new audience.

The kid had his arms crossed over his chest. "I hate you!"

"News flash, I don't give a damn," Sasuke scowled. "Now, you can either clean this mess up, the one you made in your tantrum because you didn't want to go wash up when I told you to, or I can hose you down outside."

The boy growled. "Like hell you could!"

"Try me." His eyes narrowed.

The boy with long black strands almost pouted as he narrowed his eyes on the older male. His facial expression matched it to almost a T. He even had the cold glare down to a perfect art. Who did this jerk think he was? He wasn't his father! Or his mother! And he certainly needed to stop acting like he was his older brother or some stupid shit.

He remained stubborn. "Do it if you think you can," he challenged back.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed another fraction. He watched him for a moment longer before turning towards the back entrance.

Sakura sputtered. "Sasuke!"

He paused midtrek, blinked and turned to his house mates, Minato and Kakashi. His face suddenly turned rigid. "You'll have to excuse me a moment. I need to teach someone some manners."

"Ha!" The child called out. "Manners? You need to learn some yourself, idiot."

A vein above Sasuke's eye twitched. He turned again, intent on walking to do the deed.

"Sasuke! Wait!" Sakura dashed up next to him.

"What?" He drawled, turning to her.

"Um..." she said warily, "might you let me... ah... try?"

Sasuke pulled the 'brat' back up to eye level. "If you think it'll do any good," he muttered and held the boy out to her.

Sakura blinked a few times at the glowering child. What was she to say? Perhaps she'd gotten herself in a pickle. Why was the kid here to begin with? "Um, well, Sasuke, why is he here?"

But it was the kid who answered. "Sarutobi thinks I need a guardian," he sneered.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "He's my new charge. At least until his parents return home. He'll be staying with us for a while."

The boy grunted, showing just how he felt about the situation.

"Well," she blinked again. Her eyes turned soft as she tried to do what Sasuke could not. "Um, I know this must be difficult," she started, "but, Sasuke really isn't that bad. If you would just do as he asks your time here will be a good one."

He grunted again.

She smiled. "No really, I promise. Anyway, if you do what he says I'll make you something nice for dinner."

His eyes narrowed a tad. Bribery? He would not be swayed.

Sakura pursed her lips with a coy smile. "How about... cookies? Chocolate chip? Perhaps with a tall glass of milk?"

No response.

"Hm... " What did little boys like? Or were they all so stubborn... She looked up at Sasuke. But all he did was shrug, urging her it was hopeless. She looked back at the rug rat.

"Rice balls with soy sauce," the older Uchiha finally muttered.

Itachi's eyes widened and he turned them on the older male. How the hell did he know?!

Sakura smiled. "Rice balls, huh? You must be like Sasuke then." She winked. "He hates sweets." She laughed. "How about it? You do as he says and I'll make you a whole plate of em, hm?"

The young boy rolled the thought around in his mind for a while, considering. Sakura could tell he was breaking. Few could resist her kindness. Even stubborn little boys like him.

"Fine," he agreed, "but not because the jackass wants me to. I'm only doing it because you asked." With that remark Sasuke dropped him. As he fell unexpectedly to the floor he cried out. He turned a glare on Sasuke.

"Hn..." he responded. "Be more respectful and I'll treat you better, you little brat."

Before the child could reply, Sakura helped him off the floor by picking him up, settling him down and dusting him off. She smiled. "There, all better. Go wash up, alright? Bathroom is down the hall, last door on the right before the stairs." She pointed.

Once more he debated. But, the promise of rice balls won out and he turned, flipping Sasuke off and trudged down the hall to the bathroom.

Sasuke growled and turned to go after him, but Sakura grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Damnit, Sasuke, what is with you? He's just a kid." She frowned.

Sasuke turned to her. "He's a hell raiser is what he is." He ran a hand through his short strands; obviously stressed over more than just the boys actions. Sakura could see his hands shaking. Her eyes narrowed.

"I'm going to get going. Good luck with the boy." Minato waved with a smile and he headed towards the door. Kakashi followed after him, feeling it might be for the best he come back later.

"Bye, sensei, Kakashi!" Naruto waved him off with a grin.

Sakura just kept her worried, steady gaze on Sasuke. It wasn't often she saw him like this. He was genuinely worried over something. Concerned. He rarely every lost his cool, even with disgruntled kids. There had been several times before he left he'd come by the hospital to visit during her apprenticeship. And sometimes when she'd been working with wounded children, he'd been kind. It was one of the few times she'd seen him smile back then.

Sasuke had a heart for kids. He'd make an amazing father one day. She imagined it had a lot to do with how he had grown up and what he'd been through. She knew he had to never wanted another child to go through such horrors.

"Sasuke? You've never been like this around kids before. What's going on?" When his eyes met hers, she could see pain there. And when he spoke, his words were a jumble of confusion.

"They made him go to war, Sakura. He was... he is... he's still a kid. We were at least twelve by the time we saw out first kill. He's... only six... and he's... how many people has he watched die? How many people's eyes had he watched fade into a glassy haze because of him? How _many_?"

"I don't understand Sasuke. Who? The boy?"

"Yes, who else?" He cried out a little too loudly. His body shook with unchecked rage. "They sent prodigies to war, Sakura. _War_. A... damned kill zone. To be their little tools. Their damned soldiers," he spat.

Her eyes widened as it dawned on her what he meant. "They... they sent that boy to fight?!" She paused, trying to find reason in her mind. "How young?" Her eyes frantically searched his as he shook his head.

"I don't know..." he whispered. He hands reached up as he hung his head, fingers digging into his scalp. "If I'd only known... maybe..."

"What do you mean? You couldn't have done anything. We've only been here a few days, Sasuke." She almost jolted as his cold, pain filled eyes caught her own.

"Not now, Sakura, then. In our time... If I'd only known the horrors he'd seen... Maybe that's why he did it." He shut his eyes with a whisper. "Maybe he lost his mind and did it because he was broken.. " He laughed bitterly, wiping his hands down his face. "Oh, Sakura, isn't is brilliant? I hated my brother for what he did to me, when maybe, in reality, his crimes were the crimes of those who transgressed on him."

Realization dawned on her with each and every pain filled word he spoke. "Sasuke... are you trying to tell me that little boy... He's..."

Sasuke nodded, hands on his hips. His smile was as bittersweet and his former laugh. "That's the irony, isn't it? Perhaps this is Eon's idea of a sick joke. Watching after the man, a boy now, who will one day ruin my life; plague my nights with screams and sins I was too weak to stop." He shook his head. "You know the sad part?"

She didn't speak a word, her heart breaking for him.

"I can't actually hate him. I want to. I wanted to so bad. I tried for the first five or six hours. I looked at him with malice and thought to myself, what an advantage I have here. But then you know what else happened?"

"What?"

His lips twitched in a half smirk, half scowl. "I realized, right now, he's the same as me. He's not that man yet. I don't want him to be... I..." He felt hands on his upper arms and allowed her to take him into a soft embrace as he held back his emotions. "I want my brother back, Sakura. I want my family. And really, I hate Eon for all of this. Why is he doing this to us? Is it really some sort of twisted joke? To look on the eyes of a boy who I once admired and see myself reflected there because of what he will one day do to me?"

She didn't know what to say. So, instead, she just held him as he shook, as he held back tears and gripped her in a vice; like a lost child. "You're right, Sasuke. It's not fair... But, we'll get through it. I'll help you. Naruto will too." She gripped him tighter.

All he did was nod as she took his hand and led him to his room. He didn't complain as she led him to his bed, tucking him in and shut the door. When Sakura went back to Naruto, she could see he was just as upset as her.

"What are we going to do?" He asked.

She shrugged. "We can do nothing but be there for him. At least until Eon shows up with our next task."

He nodded. "Yeah..."

"I'm going to go make some those rice balls. Why don't you go take a nap?" She headed to the kitchen.

"You sure?" He arched a brow.

"Yeah, I can keep and eye on the kid by myself." She frowned. "He's not the first broken 'tool' I've come across... sadly, he won't be last."

Naruto nodded, her words ringing true. No, he wouldn't be. But, like Sasuke said, what was Eon thinking? Was this even his doing to begin with? Or did it happen by mere chance alone? Would Itachi have been left to himself had Sasuke not been here?

Questions plagued his mind as he made his way to his room as they had done so for days on end since they'd come here...

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. However, I think in the next one I'll skip ahead to a week. And maybe in the next two years. I know I want a bit more development between Itachi and Sasuke. So, we'll see how it pans out. Fear not though! I have a plan!

**Rossel :**: Thanks!

**J Rock and Visual Kei fan ::** Oh, no, that won't happen! XD He won't even be anywhere near the Kyuubi when it attacks, trust me.

**Pance ::** Thanks, that's very true in my case. If I don't keep myself going it doesn't flow right. XP My other stories need updating. I want to badly, but I have the urge to finish this one first, those second and then wrap up LCA afterward.

**DarkChocol8807 :: **I did the best I could manage with the time line. It's so damned vague. So, if you want to call it slightly AU, feel free. The sanin are 20-something years older than Kakashi at this point even though other resources say thier like 17 or so now. Which, is silly because that would mean Kakashi wasn't even alive during the great war considering his age gap with them.

Right now the Sanin are in their mid thirties. So, I've made it so they're gone. To me they would have been by this point. As for Sinch? XD The story name is a play off of Stitch In Time. So, I put the S in there.

**ShyTan'ith ::** I hope this chapter had enough cute interaction for you. -smiles- Repercussions?! How dare you! -cackles- Of course! But I assure you it's all for a *very* good reason. All apart of Eon's devious plan.

**Rukoh ::** Even though this is labeled a Saku/Kaka romance it is still an action. And Sasuke's and Naruto's roles are just as important as Sakura's. More will be revealed as time goes on. And trust me when I say I'm just as urgent to write it as you are to read it!

**--Blade**


	13. Chapter 13

**..Chapter Thirteen..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

Black orbs of ebony flashed open as something reflected off the window. It was bright and constricting. At the same moment, it had not been the clash of light that awoke him, but the cry in the darkness around him. His body told him to not worry about it and go to sleep, but something in his heart told him something was wrong.

He sat up, pushing strands of black away from his cool depths, long eyelashes kissing his cheeks as he tried to blink back sleep and adjust his eyes to the darkness. A white, loose, long sleeved shirt hung halfway open on his partially nude form.

Lightening flashed across his window again and raindrops pattered against the glass like a dark herald. He scanned the room for Stalker, finding him on the back of the chair as usual. His eyes narrowed and his lips pursed. He reached a hand up, rubbing his eyes as he tried to fathom why he was up. Had there been a sound? Or was it merely his overactive imagination?

His eyes widened as another cry rang out. He turned his gaze to the door, which was left open for Stalker so Sakura could feed him in the morning if Sasuke wanted to sleep in. He took on another moment of thought and got up. His legs hung over the side of the bed before bare feet padded across the floor.

Was someone in the house?

He looked left and right down the hallway. Just then he thought he heard wailing, like someone was in a lot of pain. The direction of the sound was not coming from Naruto or Sakura's bedrooms. Swiftly he made his was down the hall in nothing but his pajama pants and a white button up he preferred to sleep in. What could be making that noise?

He rounded the corner cautiously into the living room. Lightening flashed across the room through the half open drapes hanging over the windows. He looked around the room but saw nothing. His eyes dropped to the couch, noting that the makeshift bed he'd made for Itachi was a rumpled mess. However the boy was no where to be found.

His eyes narrowed at this before swiftly scanning the room again. Where had he gone? Surely no one had broken in and taken him. The only ones who seemed to have a grudge against the boy were his classmates. At least that's what he'd surmised over the past week of dealing with him. Between picking the boy up from the Academy, making sure he bathed, ate and did his homework he was a real nuisance. And as much as he was going to avoid meeting his parents like the plague, he'd be glad when his brother was out from under his roof.

No matter how much he tried talking to him over the last week nothing had seemed to work. He offered to help him with his kunai training. That had resulted in a glare. He'd offered to help him with his studies. That had resulted in not only a glare but a question as to whether or not he wanted him to fail. He'd been hard pressed not to hit him. Then, finally, he'd offered to take him out somewhere. Anywhere. But aside from rude remarks, snide comments, or glares the little imp hated him.

Gee, that was different from his present self, _how_?

He sighed and maneuvered through the kitchen and peeked about. One thing was for sure, the kid was annoying, obstinate, hateful and ungrateful. He barely showed Sakura any kindness, but it was much more than he got. And therein was the funny part. As far as Sasuke could tell Itachi was inwardly respectful to everyone around him accept those who scorned him or stepped in too far to his personal bubble. And in that respect Sasuke hadn't had much of a choice. This was a mission after all. But seriously, what had Sarutobi been thinking when he actually said he might be able to help him? He hadn't. That was the problem. Sarutobi knew nothing about who he was in detail. Only that he was an Uchiha. A future resident of the village. Nothing else. All three of them had thought it a good idea to keep as much as possible from the old man.

The sad thing about all of this? Really? Sasuke wanted to help him. As the boy stood right now Sasuke understood him in more ways than he could possibly grasp. And he'd seen that look of pain, hurt, and fear in so many eyes before. So many of them so young. He'd seen it in the mirror every morning--he still did.

Alas, his annoying little-older brother was having none of it. He didn't want any help. And Sasuke couldn't blame him. At that age? He wouldn't have wanted 'charity' either. He'd pushed Sakura away plenty of times to know it; both her and Naruto. All because he thought it was easier to wallow in his own distress without the help of others. Had it not been for their persistence and Kakashi's fatherly guidance? He'd have been lost. He might have taken almost the same path as Itachi.

Sasuke walked out of the kitchen, hearing the sound of a small wail one more time. It wasn't very loud, but he could tell it was in the living room this time. He stepped past the island and towards the noise. The room was so dark, but his eyes were finally adjusted. He didn't want to turn on a switch, afraid he'd startle whoever or whatever it was. If it was in fact a burglar, he'd want the jump on them.

Still, a burglar wouldn't wail. Not unless he'd stupidly broke his ankle or sprained it in his hurry to get out of Sasuke's home. There was still no Itachi in sight as he looked on the rumpled mess of blankets on the couch. Perhaps he'd just went to the bathroom. He doubted he was the one making all the racket. He passed it over with a hard gaze and walked towards the fireplace up against the wall.

He paused briefly, narrowing his eyes to a cold slits as he approached slowly. In the corner, in the dark, a form hunched over. Fully expecting to see some idiot predator he activated his Sharingan. As he took another step forward, a board creaked under his foot. He quit moving immediately; cursing his stupidity silently.

As soon as the noise was made, the form crouched in the corner turned on him. He wished he'd grabbed a kunai before coming in here. He really wished he'd brought some kind of weapon as the darkened body lashed out at him, eyes blazing.

While he avoided the first couple of swipes at his legs, there was something off. He immediately realized what by the short stature of the individual. "Itachi!" he cried out, trying make him snap out of it.

But it was no good. The kid just kept coming at him, deadly intent blazing in his glazed over eyes. If it were not for his Sharingan he would have been at a sore disadvantage. Because seriously? Even as a runt? His older brother was obviously well trained. Not that at this point he would be no match for him, but he really didn't want to hurt the kid.

"Itachi! snap out of it!" He cried out as the boy lept up, trying to lay a few good blows to his face. He avoided each one. But the more he avoided and more he tried to get him to stop, the more he realized it was only getting worse. He had but one option. And he wasn't exactly keen on the idea.

As he landed back on his two feet from a graceful acrobatic flip and knelt, eyes locked on Itachi's as he ran at him. The tombs in the red of his depths began to turn mercilessly. He swallowed him in his sights, forcing him to go still as he entered his mind. But what he saw there, for the few moments he allowed himself was enough to make him want to throw up. He quickly pulled back out, rushing forward and catching to boy as he began to fall.

He expected him to be feint, asleep even. But as he held the child in his arms, soft, shaking pool of ebony greeted his gaze as another flash of lightening struck across the room. For a moment, briefly, Itachi looked like any other scared and vulnerable little boy who'd just woken from a nightmare. But it wasn't long lived. He was quickly pushing out of Sasuke's arms and trying to get away from him.

"Don't touch me!" he hissed, reacting like he was disgusted.

But Sasuke held true, grabbing his wrists as he tried to worm away from him. "Stop it," he ordered.

Itachi was desperate to get away, lifting one foot and tried to kick him in the gut. But it was blocked. And shortly afterward he found himself face first on the floor, hands restrained behind his back. "Let me go!"

"Not until we talk about this."

"Fuck off!"

"Itachi," he began softly, "I'm not your enemy. Believe it or not I'm trying to help you. And for the past week you've done nothing but try and push me away. Frankly, I get it, and it's why I've been so tolerant."

"Quit talking like you know me. You don't know shit about me. Just because your a clan member doesn't make you any different from anyone else. So, quit it!" He pulled on the hands restraining him.

"I know more than you think," he replied, his tone once more calm and collected.

Itachi just chuckled softly, cruelly. "Do you now?" He rolled his head to the side, lips twisted into a smirk as a single coal orb stared him down. "How young were you when you first slit someone's throat, Sasuke? How young were you when you sliced a kunai into someone's abdomen, flesh tearing, ripping; blood coating your hands like water? How old?!" His voice was an echoing half scream in the silent room. Another flash of lightening echoed after it, thunder clamoring.

Sasuke closed his eyes, quelling the anger that threatened to bile up and out of him. Not over Itachi's defensive manner... but simply because he understood. He hated the irony. He hated it with a passion. Half of him, the side that said this boy was not the same man, had tried all week to help him. And the other half, the side that said he was the same person, shouted to utterly neglect and ignore him if not simply outright kill him. However, Sasuke was too honorable for that. Despite his past, his streak of vengeance, he would never stoop to that level.

His eyes slowly opened and he regarded the boy trembling with rage beneath him. When he spoke, his voice was still soft and calm. "That is the life of a shinobi..."

Something flashed in Itachi's eyes. Disappointment? What had he really been hoping for? That he was different? In the end Sasuke was just like the rest. They all saw him as a tool. And tool he would be.

"But it should not have been your life so early."

He blinked, confusion washing over him. "What..?"

"Your file never stated how old you were when they sent you out. How old were you, Itachi?" his voice urged and he softened his grip on his wrists.

Itachi swallowed, his eyes half shutting as he relaxed into the floor. "Four," he whispered.

Sasuke swore under his breath. He watched as the boy went wide eyed beneath him. Four? Not that two years really made a difference... but four? God damnit... He resisted the urge to tighten the grip of his hands to fists. After all, he still held his wrists in his hands. He didn't want to break them.

"Sasuke?"

He looked at him, his eyes softening.

"Are you...."

"What?"

"...ok?"

He arched a brow at that. It was the first time Itachi had inquired anything about him. "No," he muttered, releasing him, "I'm not." He got up, moving towards the couch Itachi had been sleeping on previously. He flopped down into it, eyes closing as he sighed.

Itachi slowly made his way off the floor and over to Sasuke, his cool obsidian gaze eyed him curiously. He'd seen the older Uchiha go through many emotions over the past week. But this? This helpless, tired, beaten and utterly depressed look? No, not at all. And as much as he was trying to convince himself he didn't care about Sasuke... seeing him like this? He didn't like it. Not one bit.

He narrowed his eyes, angry all of sudden, "I don't need your pity."

Sasuke's eyes flashed open and he dropped his hands from the bridge of his nose. "You think I pity you?"

"What else could it be?" His eyes remained narrowed. "It's all anyone ever looks at me with aside from fear. Why should you be any different?"

Sasuke shook his head as he leaned forward. "I don't pity you. I understand you. You can never..." He sighed, trailing off as he closed his eyes. Every emotion churned in him like a whirlwind. Everything in him from years ago, drumming in his ears, was screaming at him, while he sat emotionally defeated and confused, to love Itachi. Was this what it was about? Forgiveness? Did he need that? Not a child who'd never done it... what was wrong with him? Why did it all hurt so much?

"Someone hurt you," Itachi said evenly. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. "Who?"

"Who?" He echoed as if that's what his voice was; an echo. "Who indeed..." He sighed and locked gazes with the young Uchiha, his brother. "I doubt you would want to know."

"Hn," the small boy muttered, "you get to pick around in my head with that bloodline technique and you expect to leave me in the dark?"

He blinked several times. "I did that to stop you... I didn't intend--."

His eyes seemed to ripple. "I never told anyone about it, you know?" He took a step forward. "And now aside from the files that were sealed for the Hokage's eyes only? You're the only one who knows what happened... what I went though. So, I'd appreciate it, out of honor if nothing else, you tell me your demons." His eyes narrowed. "You owe me that much, Sasuke." He paused. "I'm... I'm not a child. I never will be." He blinked suddenly as Sasuke reached out, poking him gently in the center of his forehead with a smile. He didn't know what to make of the gesture.

"Itachi," he said with a caring smile, "there are very few things old men in high offices can take from us, silly tools that we are. And one of those things is happiness. Don't let them take that from you. _Ever_."

He nodded, slowly, completely unsure what had so suddenly changed in their relationship over the last hour or so. "You still have a story to tell me, Uchiha."

"So I do," he said painfully. "Come on then, get comfortable at least." He pat the seat next to him. He was a tad surprised when Itachi did as he asked, climbing up next to him and curling into his side. He wasn't sure what to make of it. However, unconsciously, his arm draped over the small boy's shoulders as he began to relay the tale. He left out a lot. Mostly about how old he was and where it had happened. But he didn't leave out that it was his brother who'd done it, or that it was his family who'd suffered.

By the time he was done retelling it all, Itachi's eyes were a haze. He couldn't really read what he was thinking. How odd was telling the guy who killed your family about what he'd done without him even knowing?

"Why did he do it?" Itachi asked.

"Why?" He shrugged. "He told me it was to test his 'capacity'."

"Capacity?"

He nodded. "Yeah, his Sharingan."

Itachi blinked, turning and laying back into the couch. Sasuke watched him as he looked to be thinking. "Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"I'm glad you were with me this week..."

"Oh?" He couldn't help the twitch of his lips curling partially into a smile.

"Yeah," he turned his eyes to his, grin spreading across his face, the first real smile he'd given anyone in a long time. "Nii-san."

Sasuke sat there, speechless, as the little imp ran off and into another part of the house. "Night!" He heard him cry out. He barely registered that it was his bed the tike was most likely going to.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as a soft laughing was heard to his far right. "You can come out now, Sakura."

A long sigh was heard next as the wall rippled around her body. She quickly released the jutsu and took what looked like a step away and down. "I wondered when you'd notice."

"Hn..." he muttered. "How long have you been there?"

She flopped down on the couch next to him. "You don't know?"

His lips twitched slightly as he rested his elbow on the arm of the couch and regard her with a cock head and amused expression. "Believe it or, something was far more pressing than looking for your illusionary techniques in a wall."

"Hm... true enough." She leaned back, pulling her pajama covered legs up and hugging them to her chest.

"Well?" He prompted.

"What?"

"How long were you there?" He grunted, irritated.

"Oh," she said as if she'd forgotten. "Well... actually... " She smirked. "I made it in here before you. But once I saw you come it I thought it would better to let you handle it."

He arched a brow. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I dunno... it just made sense... "

"Aren't you at all bothered by this? Any of it?" He knew she had to know he was talking about the affects this would all have on time.

"I'm pretty sure if whatever you're doing with your brother was really all that bad for the time line Eon would have popped up long ago." She rested her chin on her knees. "Personally, I wish he would."

Sasuke pulled her close, sighing. He understood the tone in her voice all too well. And it made him take pause. In way, it was almost worse for him simply because he'd only just gotten home to be sent what... seventeen? Eighteen years into the past? "I miss home too..." he muttered softly.

Sakura got up suddenly, pulling his hand as she headed towards the long corridor. "Come on, I'm tired. And I felt Itachi's chakra signature run into your room. I'm sure he's asleep by now."

He arched a brow, letting her tug him along. "Sakura?"

She opened the door to her room and gestured for him to come in. Her voice was soft, her eyes equally so. It was easy to see she was just as troubled as him. Just as lonely."I just need... well, maybe you need it more than I do. I can't sleep. Before Naruto left he use to come over and sleep with me when things got rough... " She looked at him as she shut the door. "Sometimes, I just don't want to be alone."

As a friend and as someone who didn't have a bed to sleep in at the moment, how could he say no? And really, she was right, he needed it more than her. He nodded and neither said another word as they curled into the mattress and under the sheets together. They took comfort in one another, as friends, siblings and team mates.

The pain he wanted eased in his own heart was tearing two directions--his brother. For Sakura it wasn't as bad; but, the knowledge that she was stuck in another time, away from her own home, with only her two best friends to comfort her... it was enough to make any young woman have a hard time sleeping. Funny, how when they both fell asleep in each others arms, neither noticed a certain blond, feeling much the same loneliness, topple into Sakura's room, and snuggle his way into the blankets with them both.


	14. Chapter 14

**..Chapter Fourteen..**

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The next morning when she awoke, a shocked expression raced across her features. At first because she'd forgotten Sasuke came to lay with her last night; then because Naruto was curled up next to her. Her lips soon moved into a quiet, knowing smile as she reached down and brushed tendrils of almost peroxide white from his calmed, slumber ridden features. She did much the same with Sasuke before pulling away from the center of the bed, feeling bereft at the lack of warmth she'd felt only moments ago between her two team mates.

Sighing with another smile she tucked them in comfortably. With one final glance she slid out of the room. It was still fairly early and she'd have to leave a note for them both. This morning she'd be going to the hospital to see what she could help out with. As Sarutobi had said, there were many injured shinobi who needed her assistance.

With a quick note, shower, breakfast and a change of clothes all done at the speed of sound, Sakura was shutting her front door and making her way down the residential path towards town.

Her bright emerald hues looked upward as her sun kissed face tilted in the same direction. The orb of yellow and orange was bright. The cloud coverage only minimal. She smiled, her hand shading her eyes. It was a lovely day. Birds fluttered about and the smells tickled her senses. She was happy she'd hadn't left early. This way she could enjoy her leisurely walk towards the hospital.

Few people were out and about this morning. Many of them were shinobi most likely going on missions. And others still looked like Genin heading towards the training area for an early session before the Academy opened. In many ways, over the past week, Sakura had discovered that this Konoha was not so different from her own. In fact, there were many times she found herself forgetting what 'time' she was. Any many times she would see a blond streak of hair with purple and think it was Ino, or a rush of white-opaque eyes with black hair and think it was Hinata. Those were the times she found herself most missing her own home, friends and family.

There were still quite a few differences. The ages of the Jounin and Chuunin amazed her. Some were as young as seven. She could never have dreamed of making Chuunin at seven. She hadn't made that rank until sixteen, and even then it'd been difficult for her. Jounin itself had been nerve wrecking; however, she'd been far more prepared for it than the previous exam.

She wondered how different the hospital would be in this time. In her own it was clean, tidy and well run. Everything was done with the precision of a well oiled machine. Tsunade would have it no other way. Neither would Sakura. In this time she wouldn't be the codirector. That was something she would have to get use to right away. Following orders wasn't new to her. But, in the hospital environment she'd gotten use to doing things her way.

She turned left on the beaten old road and found herself taking the same route she always did to the white building. Some people waved at her on her trek. Some smiled. She gave each expression a return of her own. She'd been out and about regularly enough that people at least knew her face. The Hokage had made sure to get their false documents sent over last night. Her new last name? Kaioh. She wasn't sure how she felt about it. It was just a last name though. No true relevance after all. It's not like she was stuck with it for the rest of her life. Just until she went home.

She pushed the door open to the large lobby in the hospital. She gave a quick scan and walked up to the front desk. "Excuse me," she said to the woman behind it, "I'm Sakura. Kaioh Sakura. The Hokage told me to report here for my shift."

The woman, who she found was a young girl, turned to her and smiled. Bright, lavender-opaque eyes met her own. A Hyuuga, she suddenly realized. Her long black hair was pulled back in a braid and her bangs kissed her cheeks. "Yes, hello. I'm Hyuuga Mei. Let me look at the paperwork sent over this morning." She pulled up a clipboard and quickly scanned. "Yes, Hokage-sama sent over the report about you. You were the one who took care of the Uchiha boy, right?"

"I am."

"Well, I have to say, we'd love to eventually see a demonstration. How you managed to piece the kid back together is amazing." She smiled, the expression as soothing as her voice. "Anyway, for now though," she looked down again as she spoke, "it appears you're paired up with Rin today. Just report to room 100B on this floor. They'll have everything you need there." She handed her a slip of paper giving directions. "This should help, but if you follow the signs you'll find it in no time."

"Thank you," she said, taking the paper and walked off, reading it's instructions. It didn't take her long to reach the room. She didn't even bother knocking. Simply because this was a hospital. Unless it was a private room, which is wasn't, she'd be fine. The sight that greeted her as she came in was an almost humorous one.

Obito stood, hands gripping onto two bars, railings, to either side of him. His shirt was off as he tried to walk. His stance was shaky, his grip tight and his face stern in concentration. Pajama pants covered his legs loosely and his feet were bare. Sakura just stood there watching him for a while. He looked like he was making great progress. To have that much use of his arm already was amazing.

She gasped as he started to fall and took the step forward to help him. But just as she made a move, Rin was right there, her hand on his chest and the other on his back. She smiled softly at him.

"Sorry, Rin..." he panted, "I guess I lost my footing there..." He smiled back at her as he hunched over, allowing her to help hold him up.

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard, Obito..."

He laugh softly. "Ah, but with such a cute nurse to help how can I not?"

She blushed a pretty shade of pink and her eyes widened slightly. "Obito..."

Sakura felt like she was privy to what should have been a moment just between the two other occupants in the room. But, she didn't want to alert them of her presence and break it. Obito had said he loved Rin. And right now she was acting pretty receptive to his kind advances. They might both be Chuunin, but they acted just as innocent as the two kids they were suppose to be.

She felt a hand on her arm and jumped. When she turned quickly, she felt her lips bush across another person's covered in the soft material of a mask. It hadn't been her intention to find herself so close to Kakashi, nor had it been on purpose. And she hadn't expected the warmth that stirred in her core or the blush that rushed across her cheeks. She stared at him, wide eyed, speech leaving her. He too, simply stared.

His chest was undeniably close to hers, the swell of her small breasts brushing there. She swallowed. It was the same stirring feeling she'd gotten when he'd brushed her hand against his. The rush of goosebumps he caused to crest across her flesh had never once bloomed like that with Sasuke. Never. She'd not even felt this kind of... chemistry before with any of the men she'd dated or slept with.

And Kakashi of all people...

When he'd been her teacher she'd always admired him. He was strong, capable and experienced as a shinobi in a way she'd always wanted to be. Everyone had someone they look up to when they're young. For Naruto, now, it was obviously Minato. For Sasuke? She wasn't too sure actually... but for her? It was the boy, man he would become, before her.

It was silly to think she would have romantic feelings for him. This feeling must be one of admiration. Nothing more. Being so close to a man you idolized as a child, respected as a teacher and would surely follow to the ends of the earth without a second thought would cause anyone to turn to putty.

"Ah.. Sorry, Kakashi," she said with a grin and scratched the back of her head. "I didn't see you there."

He smiled back, once more thankful for the mask covering his blush. "No problem, Sakura."

She took a step back, thinking some distance was a good idea. "Are you ok, or are you here to check on Obito?"

Kakashi looked across the room at Rin and Obito working together happily and then back to her Sakura. "A little of both, actually. I normally only let Rin work on me..." He looked over, slightly put off she was busy. He wouldn't break Obito's progress with Rin for anything. They looked happy. And despite Obito's insistence, he felt like he owed the boy one for the eye among other things.

Sakura followed his gaze with a knowing smile. "They do look rather happy together."

He nodded. "I'll come back later, I guess." He turned to go but stopped as he felt a hand on his arm. He looked over at Sakura and arched a questioning brow.

"Are you wounded?"

"Well.... you could say that..."

"Where?"

He sighed and reached for the hem of his shirt, pulling the blue material up and out of the confides of his pants. His tight abdomen was patched together with some gauze and medical tape. However, the injury was starting to bleed through.

"You're not going anywhere," she ordered. "Strip down and go sit over on that bed."

He blinked at her. While it was true Rin had said many of the same things before when patching him up... The same words from Sakura somehow... well... you can imagine can't you? He felt himself go red--again--as he followed her orders. By the time he was done, shirtless and pantless, he remained only in his boxers and wraps about his shins. His shirt was pulled up to at least his shoulders, spandex pooling down his back.

Her soft fingers danced across his skin, tenderly pulling away the medical tape to reveal the deep gash on his stomach.

Sakura hissed. "Good god, Hatake, what did you do?" Her now latex covered digits danced across his bloody tissue. It looked as though a kunai had dug right into him.

"Ah... well..." He found he didn't want to tell her. He didn't want to worry her. "Does it matter?"

"I guess not," she mumbled and began to clean the wound out with some gauze and alcohol.

Kakashi kept himself from wincing at the sting. Pain after all, was nothing new to him. He kept his gaze on her, drifting up her hands and arms working on him. They landed on her cool emerald eyes. For the last couple of days he'd spent quite a bit of time with her. And over that time the girl had grown on him like no other. What was it about her that made him... made him want to see her smile? Anything to get that beautiful face to light up in happiness.

Of course by now he'd admitted he had a crush on her. He wasn't sure if it was love. Love was a complicated and delicate thing. One did not take it lightly. And Hatake Kakashi had a feeling if he fell in love with sea-foam green eyed girl he'd want to be careful with his heart. Not because she would break it, not intentionally, but because he knew it was just his way.

Kakashi always thought everything out carefully before he made a choice. And even he, methodical as he was, knew that falling for someone was not a choice you made. It just happened. He wouldn't count himself as a hopeless romantic; however, he wouldn't discount deep things he had no real understanding for.

He knew this. He liked Sakura. He liked her in a way he liked no other girl. He wanted to spend time with her. He admired her. And above all he respected her. She was hard working, intelligent, refined in her own way and a talented shinobi.

Kakashi knew if he ever got the nerve to ask her out, on a date or as something more, it would be a miracle. She intimidated him. Not many shinobi, men or women could do that. And not really because of her shinobi prowess or because she was Jounin like him, but because he... had feelings for her. Is this how Obito felt all the time around Rin? Outclassed and flabbergasted? Unsure of what to say or if it was ok to touch her? Out of his league and totally unprepared?

He was so on edge. So utterly confused about when and how to ask her. Would he ever get the nerve? Who knew. A lot of people his age dated, kissed, passed notes and held hands. But it quickly faded with time and they moved onto the next self proclaimed love of their life. Kakashi didn't want that to happen with Sakura. So, perhaps moving too soon was a bad idea... Maybe... maybe he would wait to see if how he felt about her faded over time or grew. It seemed like a decent idea concerning something he knew he had no control over choice-wise. And Kakashi was a patient individual.

Yes... he would wait.

"There, all done. I've repaired the tissue to as good as new. However, I would suggest taking it easy for the rest of the day." She grinned as he pulled his shirt back down.

"Thank you," he said softly as he got up and pulled his pants back on.

"No problem."

"Hey, guys. When did you two get here?" Rin walked up with Obito next to her with his crutches.

Sakura smiled as turned to the young brunette with mixes of purple in her hair. "Not too long ago. I'm here to help you out with any patients."

"Oh good!" Rin exclaimed. "I need all the help I can get here in the physical therapy ward. I just got done with Obito. I'll find someone for you to assist next." She reached for a clipboard off of a table and began to scan the names.

Obito grinned at her. "Say, later Rin and I planned to go see a movie. Did you guys want to join us?"

Sakura thought about it for a moment. The idea sounded like fun. She hadn't been to one in a while anyway. Plus, Sasuke would have his hands full tonight with Itachi and Naruto planned on eating over at Minato's to meet his girlfriend. So her plans had included reading a good book till she fell asleep. "Sure, I don't mind. Kakashi?" She turned her head to regard him.

He looked over at her, hands in his pockets. He shrugged. "I'm game."

"Awesome." Obito kept grinning. "Well, I'm out of here to change and go home. My sister needs help with some paperwork."

"Ok, bye, Obito." Sakura waved as Rin gave him a quick hug and turned her attention to the pink haired ninja.

Kakashi walked with him to the door. "I'm heading out too."

"Oh, wait!" Sakura called and dashed up to him.

"Yeah?"

She grinned, leaned forward and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. "Be safe. No more accidents, alright?"

He nodded lamely as she walked back over to Rin. After a moment he shook his head and held the door open for Obito, walking out with him. He hadn't expected that. Of course, the kiss could be simply brushed off as a friendly gesture, nothing more. Sakura had no clue about his budding feelings for her.

"So, what was that about?"

He turned his one good eye on Obito. "What?"

He grinned, as usual. "You know what I mean. Sakura, numbskull. The kiss." He trudged forward, crutches helping as they neared the locker areas in the hospital.

Kakashi shrugged like it meant nothing. "It was a friendly peck. She was saying goodbye."

Obito smiled knowingly as they continued on. He didn't look at his team mate. But one could tell the cogs in his head were going a mile a minute. "Yeah, well, don't think I don't know you, Hatake. We've been on the same team long enough to grant me the ability to say that much at least."

"What is that suppose to mean?" He hated that the black haired Uchiha, a year older than him, could apparently read him so well. The direction of the conversation was more than an indication. Playing dumb wasn't working, but like hell he'd admit anything.

"I've seen the way you've looked at her over the past week. I'm might be missing an eye, but I'm not blind. You've never looked at another girl like that before."

"Like what?" he grumbled.

He chuckled. "Like you don't have a clue about anything; like you don't know what you're doing. You always know what you're doing, Hatake. Always." He glanced over at him. "You always have a plan. Plus? I know the look. It's the same one I give Rin all the time." He chuckled. "You've got it bad. I never thought I'd see the day."

Kakashi sighed and slumped forward a bit. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Why? What are you worried about?" He waited for the silver haired Jounin to open the door for him. He entered the locker room with no trouble, noting no one was about. He stepped over to the blue one with his number on it and began to work the combination.

"Worried?" Kakashi asked. "I'm not worried about anything."

"Yeah right. You think she'll reject you don't you?" He opened the door and began to pull clothing from it's confines.

Kakashi sat down, forearms resting on his thighs as he spread his legs and leaned forward. "I don't know how I feel yet."

"But, you're still worried," he stated as he slowly sat down. He allowed Kakashi to steady him as he dressed.

"Maybe..." he finally admitted. "I just don't want to start something if I'm not in for the long haul."

"How so?" Obito lifted his legs one at a time as Kakashi assisted him into his shinobi pants. He shifted and pulled them up the rest of the way.

Kakashi sighed and went back to where he sat, helping when he was needed. "Sakura is a wonderful girl. She has a lot of qualities anyone would want in someone by their side. However, I don't want to get involved with her only to have those feelings wane."

Obito took his time pulling on his sandals one by one. "Are you worried about hurting her?"

"I guess that's part of it." He shrugged. "But I also value her as a friend. I've seen the way other couples act after a bad breakup. I've seen the repercussions when they're on the same team. I don't want that to be us."

Obito sighed and started to stand up, allowing his best friend to help him into his crutches. "Careful thinker as always," Obito sighed exasperated. He was frustrated, but you could tell it was all in good fun. "Don't take too long to figure it out, Hatake. You never know when someone might slip in and steal her right from underneath you."


	15. Chapter 15

**..Chapter Fifteen..**

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When Sasuke woke up it was not a fluff of pink hair that met with his rising senses, but blond. At first he hadn't known what think. As a fully grown adult male, sleeping, entangled, with his best friend had never been an uncommon thing. It'd happened on occasion when they shared a bed. One might think it was perfectly platonic, curled up next to him. But, really, it wasn't. He was a friend. His best friend. The same way that Sakura was. Their team was closely knit. Not just like a family, but something more. The line was ridden hard in both directions. It was the same line that would make him undoubtedly peruse something with Sakura if she ever really did change her mind. Sasuke wasn't _in_ love with Sakura. He could be. But it wouldn't necessarily be the burning passion like other lust filled relationships he'd seen. No, it would be comfortable and bloom over time to a raging fire.

Anyway, the point he was trying to get across his raging thoughts was that what he felt for Naruto was a closeness that most other men would outright freak over involving their best friend--male best friend. Let's be specific here. And frank. Men weren't known for being comfortable with their own bodies, much less their sexuality. Hugs were given to other men with the stiffness of a slap on the back. But he would never have that with Naruto. And for that he was glad for. And he would out right deck anyone who dared say there was anything more going on between him and the blond. The words brothers only scratched the surface. No, Sasuke and Naruto were much more and yet so much less at the same time.

With these final considerations, he closed his eyes and tugged Naruto closer into his embrace. With a final sigh, he gently untangled his limbs from the warm body, careful not to wake him and got out of bed. Apparently, Sakura and he were not the only ones who'd felt lonely last night.

He briefly wondered where she went as he walked down the hall, rubbing his face and entered the main room. He walked towards the kitchen island and noted a small slip of paper there. He picked it up and scanned it's writing.

_To My Boys,_

He chuckled, pausing. Boys indeed. Hers, huh? Nothing surprising there.

_I can't remember if I told you, but I have an early morning shift at the hospital today. I'll probably be there all day helping out. You know better than I do what war does to people. Internal and external injuries. Anyway, I made you some lunch. I wasn't sure if you'd be up for breakfast. Oh, and Sasuke, there's some rice balls for Itachi if you need to bribe him. :)_

_Love,_

_Sakura_

Well, he thought as he dropped the note down, that explained her absence. He supposed he was stuck feeding Stalker this morning. He meandered into the kitchen further and checked the fridge. Sure enough, some plastic wrapped rice balls were on a large plate for his little ward. A couple packed lunches too. He might heat those up later. It really would be sad when they went back to their own time. He'd grown use to the schedule they'd set up for themselves here.

Sakura would get up, make breakfast and then rouse them to eat. They'd all eat together and then go about the day on their own until dinner. Again, she usually made it and all three would hang out until the night called them to bed. He didn't know if he wanted to live somewhere without them. So much of his life had been ridden with loneliness, silence. Even during his trek with Kakashi it'd been quiet unless they were training or fighting enemy nin. Kakashi was a lot like him, almost too much. And in that regard Sasuke knew he needed a loud mouth like Naruto to kill the normalcy of his life. He needed a calming presence like Sakura to stitch him up and make sure he kept on track; make sure he didn't loose his mind. No, he was sure, if and when they ever got home, he'd bribe them into staying with him. If not under the same roof than close enough by he would never be without them too long. He didn't like to think himself dependent... but... he missed the sense of family they brought into his life. Sasuke never wanted to be alone. And being with his brother made him realize it more than ever.

How many times had he walked into his cold, lonely, quiet apartment in Konoha? How many of those times had he suddenly imagined his family there, happy and waiting for him. His mother's smile, his father's glare and his brother's mysterious smirk and soft eyes telling him he loved him even if his own father never displayed any interest in him.

"Why can't I get that back?" He spoke to no one but the emptiness of the room around him. His brother's presence here haunted him, taunted him more fervently than ever before. He assumed the only way to solve his pain was by never really being alone again. And with Sakura and Naruto close by him when he returned home maybe he could accomplish that. Maybe.

"Nii-san?" A soft boy's voice entered his range of hearing and he turned, looking down at the small child dressed in a large T shirt. Something Sakura had picked up in town for the tike to sleep in. He was rubbing his eyes and yawning; obviously still sleepy and not quite woken up yet. It still jarred his senses that he was still the same person he'd talked to last night. He'd almost assumed he'd go back to hating him come morning.

He blinked up at him. "Nii-san?"

"Hm?" He finally replied to him.

He arched a brow at him, his lips pursing in curiosity. "Are you alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I just haven't woken up yet." He looked down at Itachi one more time, just as Stalker came flying in and perched himself on the paper towel holder. He really needed to buy him a real perch. Because he was sure Sakura was going to eventually beat him for the bird droppings that found their way on the island. Why the animal couldn't use the toilet was beyond him. Cats could be taught to do it, why not him? Stubborn bird.

He continued to stare down at the boy. Last night had left him with a bit of a revelation. He wasn't exactly sure how much time he had left before his parents, theirs, came back to Fire country. And while he still had his reservations about how he felt about the kid, at the end of the day Itachi wasn't yet that man. He kept telling himself this. Everyday. It was how he convinced himself to keep to the good half of his thoughts.

"How do you feel about playing hooky?" The question he asked shocked himself more than Itachi he was sure. But there you had it. The urge was too strong to ignore.

"Huh?"

"Hooky. Skipping class today. Doing something else." He elaborated.

He blinked. "With you?"

"Is there anyone else?" He smiled slightly.

"Well... no... I guess.. It's just..." He trailed off, looking unsure.

"What?"

Itachi sighed. "I've never missed school. Father is very adamant about my studies." He took a seat at the island and stared down at the white of the counter. His father had always been that way. He praised him, pushed him and wanted him to be the best he could. And while Itachi loved that pride his father had in him sometimes... sometimes... it left him feeling more the object than the village used him for.

"Strict?" He asked, sitting next to him.

"Very..." he admitted. "It's not that I don't like it... but..."

"Sometimes you wonder what it would be like to relax? To not have someone making you feel like if you fail, even once, you're not worthy of their time anymore?" Sasuke knew it all too well. But while Itachi had never once failed in their father's eyes Sasuke had constantly. Or so it had felt.

"Yeah," he agreed and looked up at him. "Was you dad ever that way?"

"All the time," he said. "But, thankfully, neither of our fathers are around right at the moment. So, what do say to a day out?"

Itachi looked to be pondering the suggestion. If his father ever found out he was sure his wrath would know no bounds. Whatever earful Itachi got Sasuke would get worse of the same thing. Yet, Itachi had often envied other children who skipped now and then; enjoying a birthday or some time with a parent away from the Academy.

"Do you think he would find out?" He suddenly asked.

Sasuke chuckled. "Not unless you tell him. And anyway, where I plan on taking you no one will find out to begin with."

Itachi smirked. "Can't be that much fun then."

"Ah, well, I suppose the animal nin stable at the Inuzuka clan can't be too much fun. Right, Stalker?" The bird coyly played along with him, shaking his head slightly. "Yes, no fun at all. I suppose we shan't go." Sasuke began to stand but stopped as someone tugged on him arm. He looked down, keeping his features schooled. "Yes, Itachi?"

He looked almost hard pressed the ask, but did anyway. "I'd like to go."

He knew he wouldn't get much more out of him than that. So, with another smile, he helped him off the stool. "Well, go get dressed. I'll do so after you." He watched with a smile as the boy ran off happily. Yes, while it was true the scars of war would never wane in the child as he grew... when he became an adult, maybe, just maybe, he would look back on these days with Sasuke and maybe... he wouldn't turn into that soldier of a massacre. He knew it was selfish. But, Sasuke was only human. And the human side, the lonely side, the hurt one, cried out to change this particular outcome in his future.

ooo

"Ah, Uchiha Sasuke. Good to see you again. How is Stalker doing?" The tall, older man at the front gate inquired of him.

Sasuke smiled and glanced over at the bird perched on his shoulder. "Just fine, Akira-san. The diet you recommended last week when I came by was just what he needed."

The wrinkles on his face crinkled slightly as he chuckled. "Glad to hear it. But, tell me, what brings you by today?"

Sasuke smiled. The old man in overalls had never been and would never be a shinobi. He was merely the caretaker for the animals at the clan's compound. He saw to their feeding, nutritional needs, exercise, medical supplements and anything otherwise not too detailed. At least until a shinobi had need of an animal. Generally these people were members of the clan. And few animals went without an owner. As cliche as it sounded the Inuzuka clan bred like rabbits. But, some of the animals actually became family pets to citizen households.

Akira was about the same height as Sasuke. He had a kind face, bright brown eyes and a mustache you would typically associate with the grandfather type. He exuded this sort of personality and instantly made everyone around him feel comfortable; no matter their mood. and despite having only known him a few days Sasuke found it really was easy to be relaxed around him. A feat few could accomplish with the cold Uchiha. He associated it with his patience with animals. He supposed anyone who had the sort of diligence to help bear give birth had the qualities to make him an excellent people person. Even to those rather thick skinned.

"Well," Sasuke started as he placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder, "I thought I might show a friend around. You don't mind do you?"

Akira looked down at the boy, smiling. "No, not at all. But... shouldn't he be at the Academy right now?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah, but today is kinda... well, it's a reprieve. Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything to anyone about it."

Akira nodded, immediately understanding. "No, I won't breath a word." He unlocked the gate and opened it wide for them with a creak. "Well, you know your way around. Just be careful. And if you feel up to touching any of let me know."

Sasuke nodded, waving a thank you to the old man as he led Itachi down towards the rows of fenced in cages. He did little to hide his smile as the child ran ahead of him and began to examine what was behind the bars. There was a light in his eyes, a skip in his step that Sasuke had never seen before. In fact, he took to stepping back a few feet, only keeping close enough by to gauge his reaction to each animal behind the bars.

He watched as he pressed his face forward, trying to get a glimpse of each creature. It had been the same with him and Stalker. Well, not quite the same. But the look he gave the creature when first picking him out to take with on his journey had been much the same. an unglazed expression of warmth and joy. There was just something you could express in the presence of an animal that you never could with another human being. The closest he got was his relationship with his team mates.

As the boy went from cage to cage, reading their names, stats and information Sasuke trailed after him. He asked no questions and Sasuke didn't offer any comments. The child was normally very quiet. But this time it was different. The quiet he felt from Itachi was the calmed quiet, not an on edge quiet he was normally so use to. Perhaps today hadn't been such a bad idea. Maybe being here would help heal younger Uchiha. But he wasn't placing any high hopes in that. Better to expect the worst and be surprised than expect the best and be disappointed.

"Wow..." Itachi suddenly breathed as he stopped and peered into the next cage.

"Hm?" Sasuke finally came up next to him and peered in the cage as well. There, pacing the edge of the bars was a sleek animal. Black as midnight, eyes as bright as gold. The big cat was large and muscular. Her body was built for the hunt. Her prowess showed in her every movement.

"Ah, that's Lilith. Beautiful animal isn't she?" The old caretaker came up next to them. "Would you believe she's only a year old? It's such a shame."

"I assumed she was an older breeder animal," Sasuke offered. Many animals were sold out or adopted fairly quickly at a young age. A creature like this would have long been taken if she wasn't a breeder. "Black panther, right?"

He nodded and sighed. "Yeah, and she's no breeder."

"Why is she still here then?" He inquired. "She's obviously a well developed animal. Prime and ready for the field."

Itachi watched the beautiful, big cat with questioning eyes. Her tongue hung out of her mouth slightly as she panted in her languid movements. He too wondered why she would be left behind.

The older man nodded. "Would you believe no one wants her?"

"Why?" Itachi asked, looking up, surprising both men.

"Well," the caretaker began, "she has a mean streak, I guess you could say. She's never hurt anyone, but she refuses to cooperate. And her manner alone kinda scares most folks. Even shinobi." He smiled sadly and looked down at the boy. "You see, the girl likes to stay in control. And no young nin in his right mind is gonna let some animal control him. You know?"

Itachi didn't respond, he just kept looking at her, watching her movements. He could imagine that. She looked like a creature who did want to be bested.

"That's just what they say though. You know what I think?"

Itachi looked up at him. "What?"

He smiled and looked back at the big cat. "She's a powerful creature. She's got a fire in her. And she can't stand to let anyone outshine her. It's not her fault, I think. It's just her nature. Perhaps..." He sighed. "Perhaps even she wishes she could escape her own nature just to be loved."

Itachi felt something well in him at the old man's words. His eyes drew back to the big cat. He felt something reach out from himself to her. And suddenly he had the urge to touch her. He found himself wanting to be that one who met that fire. He understood her, he realized. It wasn't exactly the same. But, he knew what it felt like, to be hated because you were so much better than the rest. To be sought after and avoided because of what you were. To be held in such a high regard with great expectations and not want to disappoint anyone.

"Can... can I go in?" He asked.

Akira blinked. "In with her?"

He nodded.

"Oh.. I dunno..." He scratched the back of his head and looked over at Sasuke. "It's up to you. Like I said she's never hurt anyone but..."

Sasuke looked down at Itachi. "You sure?"

He nodded. "I am."

Sasuke looked back at Akira. "I'll go in with him just in case."

Akira sighed. "If you say so. But, like I told you, the girl don't like people much. She can hardly tolerate me. Even during feeding time."

Itachi didn't respond as he pulled up his keys and began to undo the lock. Once he opened the gate he ushered both men in and shut it behind them. "I'll stand here. Let me know when you're ready, alright?"

"Thank you," Sasuke replied as he stayed back and close to the gate exit. Not because he feared the big cat, but because he felt it might be best to leave the boy to his own devices with her. Still, he couldn't utterly kill the apprehension that swarmed his senses while he watched him.

Itachi took a few steps into the pin. Lilith had taken to backing up away from the door as it was opened. He found his eyes locked with hers. It didn't take long for him to understand what Akira had meant about her. The fire in her eyes seemed almost out of control. He could see why she intimidated so many people.

When he felt he'd gotten close enough he stopped moving altogether. What happened next shocked him. She came forward, prowling, crouching now and then. Her mouth was closed shut and he felt like she was eying him as she would a good meal. But before he could think on it further she was coming right up next to him, butting her head against his side. The force of which almost made him fall over. He hadn't exactly expected it.

The next thing he knew there was a muzzle in his face, inhaling and exhaling. Her breath was ridden with smells he'd never known before. And each time she exhaled his hair blew away from his face. He was forced to close his eyes each time. Finally, when she stopped he opened his eyes and looked at her. The eye level was the same, he realized. And all she did was sit there, tail flicking as if she were assessing him. He blinked.

"I'll be damned," he heard Akira mutter, baffled.

"What?" Sasuke asked, obviously confused.

"Well, I don't expect you to know the signs, seeing how you and Stalker became close over time. But, our young girl there just initiated the first step in balancing his chakra with her own." He was in awe. "She's never done it before, I can tell you that."

"What does that _mean_?" Itachi insisted.

Sasuke laughed softly, crossing his arms over his chest. "It means, _Ototo_, that she picked you. It doesn't happen often. You should be happy."

"Happy?" He looked back at the panther. "Why?"

"She wants to be your partner." He took a few steps forward and knelt down next to Itachi. "See? Even now she's waiting for your command."

"Mine?" He whispered in wide eyed disbelief.

"Yes, yours." He smiled. It waned after a moment though. "It's such a shame..."

"What is?" He asked, sensing the change in Sasuke's behavior.

"Well, I can't very well take her home with us. What will your parents say when they come back? Despite how it looks an animal nin, a partner like this, is a huge responsibility. You can't just keep her like you would a regular pet. They require a lot of attention. That and you have to make sure you keep your chakra aligned with them over time. Otherwise the bond will break." He sighed, keeping his eyes on the black cat.

"What if I asked?" Itachi grabbed for straws. "I'm sure father would allow it. I'd just need his permission first."

Sasuke scratched the side of his head in consideration. "We still can't keep her at the house. One animal is enough for Sakura." It was a real problem.

"You can keep her here." Akira called out.

Both boys turned to look at him with a questioning gaze.

He shrugged from the other side of the fence. "It's not like she'd be going anywhere otherwise. Just make sure the kid is here everyday after school to help out with her. When his parents get back the choice can be made then."

Itachi was overjoyed, but, since he was a child who rarely expressed emotion he settled for smiling brightly. Any 'normal' child would have done a dozen leaps in the air, shouting to the sky.

The old man seemed attune to this. "Stay as long as you like. Just lock up the cage when you're done." He gave an idle wave. "You're welcome." The smile he'd received was more than thanks enough.

Sasuke turned to him. "Well, I guess it'll give you time to see if you're up for the task."

"I don't mind," Itachi said as he turned revering eyes back to the powerful animal before him; a creature that had chosen him. Not because she was expected to. Not because he'd wanted her to. Not because his father wanted it. And not because she saw him as another step to another goal or a tool. No, Lilith had simply chosen him. No reason was needed. Not in his mind. And that in itself was the real happiness lay.

For once in his life Itachi had done something that wasn't planned, required or expected of him. Well, she'd done it, but it still involved him. He decided then and there, even if it meant disobeying his father, he would never be parted from her.

Ever.


	16. Chapter 16

**..Chapter Sixteen..**

**..**

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**..**

Another couple of days had went by. It was dark outside and the house was still. Sakura was busy making dinner. She'd come home a bit late that night and found out no one had fed themselves. As much as she remained effortlessly indifferent to being pegged mother hen when it came to making meals, she was tired this time. Instead of anything overly complicated she'd went ahead and simply made cupped ramen for them all. It couldn't be helped. Her muscles were aching and all she wanted to do was go to bed early.

However, it was not just herself who was the only one who felt the ache of the day finally setting in. For Sakura is was her job that had her tired and down. For Naruto it was the mood of the room entirely. Some people were like that. They could easily feel the tempo, the atmosphere of a place's occupants, and somehow drift there themselves. It didn't mean Naruto would stay there. But Sasuke and Sakura where his close friends. And she knew it wasn't just about her today. No, her gloomy attitude was nothing really in comparison to Sasuke's.

Earlier he'd gotten news that Itachi's parents--his parents--had come back. He'd taken him back earlier. She wondered if he'd interacted with them at all. She doubted it. Knowing Sasuke he probably dropped Itachi off at the front entrance of the compound and bid him goodbye. Still, it had to be heartbreaking. If not because he couldn't see his parents... then because he could no longer see Itachi.

Sakura knew him very well; but, there were always some parts of a person, no matter how well you knew them, that remained elusive. And she was sure even Sasuke didn't know how he felt about old ghosts in living flesh. She was almost positive he hadn't met them today. He wouldn't have. Not out of fear of affecting the time line, although it was a possibility, but out of fear for himself. It was a hard line, she imagined. On one hand you wanted to see them one more time. On the other, why tease yourself with the impossible? It'd be like losing them all over again.

Naruto watched Sakura move about the kitchen with an less than hurried or cheery grace. He could tell she was out of it. He wanted to help. Both he and Sasuke had offered. However, with her ever encouraging smile she just told them to stay put until she was done. Sakura was always stubborn like that. And she knew they were all down.

His eyes moved to Sasuke, who sat at the island across from him in that trademark pose of his; hands interlinked in front of his face and elbows resting on the counter. His eyes were not glowering, though. No, they were distant and glazed over. Almost sad and tormented if he wanted to describe it.

Naruto knew Sasuke as well a Sakura. Even after all the years they'd been apart that connection never waned or ebbed. Not once. He'd seen Sasuke like this very few times. One being when he'd first talked to them about the incident at the compound years and years ago. He hadn't cried. He wouldn't. But he had taken comfort in his friends. More than ever before. It had been a huge step for the cold boy. And the first one to healing his wounds.

Wounds, he was sure, today had reopened.

Had he met his parents? Or had he dropped Itachi at the gate doors? Was he feeling this way because he had refused to see them and wanted to? Or because he had and, now more than ever, realized what he couldn't ever have again?

Naruto was happy he would never know that feeling. Sasuke had been right. It hurt him more because he'd had ties. With Naruto it just hurt because he was lonely. A void that had been filled with a family and team mates over the connections accumulated through years in the village and out.

He sighed and looked down as Sakura placed bowls in front of them to eat. He barely registered her sitting too. Or his own mouth and Sasuke's moving in the formal thank you. He hardly heard her say 'you're welcome'. Did any of them? Or was it simply going through the motions? Who knew really.

Sasuke stared down at his bowl, examining it before actually beginning to eat. Every move was mechanical; each flick of his wrist with the chopsticks ingrained in his subconscious to do automatically. It was something he hadn't done for years. Not since he was a kid at the Academy.

Neither of his team mates, kindly, had asked what had happened today. But they knew Itachi had went back home when they asked where he was. Sasuke had merely said his parents came back and he'd returned him home. After that, everything went still. He was glad for that. They must have known he wasn't ready to talk about it. They weren't walking on glass around him, but they weren't talking either. Part of him was thankful and the other part didn't like it. He knew he was the cause of it. His dismal mood brought them down just as quickly. And while normally Naruto would try to perk him up, he had to know this topic was just... too touchy. even for him.

The truth of the day?

He hadn't seen his parents. He'd given Itachi a brief embrace, a good luck about Lilith and then watched as he dashed into the compound. But before he'd went, Itachi had dared to ask him why he didn't live in the compound as all Uchihas did. Even if their wife or husband was not of the clan they inevitably moved back in. The sense of family that existed there, or use to in his case, was unmatchable. No matter what you did or where you went or how bad your crimes were, the clan always accepted you as family.

He'd merely given him an excuse, saying he preferred his team. He'd known Itachi hadn't quite bought it. But the kid was insightful enough not to ask any more. Better to leave him wondering than knowing the truth. Anything but the truth.

Without even realizing it, he'd finished his bowl, the liquid broth still lulling about in swirls as he stirred with his chopsticks. He stopped himself, like turning off a switch, and set them down across the top of his bowl.

"You three are a gloomy lot, you know?" A voice called from behind.

All three nearly jumped out of their skin as the world around them seemed to shift into a black and blue haze. It wasn't often a shinobi, a well trained one, was taken off guard. But they were dealing with regular forces here. No, Eon could hardly be called that.

He smiled cheerily at them all, hands behind his back. "I hate to see such sad faces, you know."

Sakura sighed from where she sat, the island apparently joining them on this otherworldly trek. "You do know it's been almost two weeks since we've seen you, Eon-sama? Do you have any idea what that does to a person?"

He arched a brow. "I doubt you're upset about that..."

"We'd like to go home, if you haven't noticed," muttered Naruto as he turned around in his stool to face him. "We've been waiting for our next task." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"If there even is one." Sasuke came to stand next to the blond who was sitting with his back against the bar.

"Well," he said, sighing now, "I'm afraid if you feel that way now, the next bit of news I have for you is going to be even worse."

"What do you mean, 'worse'?" This from Sakura, her voice raising slightly. Her narrowed eyes and tense posture did not go unnoticed or unmimicked by the boys.

"I've gotten some more information about our enemy," he began as he started to pace, hands still behind his back. "And I'm afraid you won't like it."

"Just spit it out already," Naruto growled even as Sasuke placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll have an opportunity to take him out."

Sakura arched a brow, blinking. "How is that bad news? It means we'd get to go home, right?"

He nodded, eyes closing a moment. "Yes, of course. The problem is 'when' the opportunity presents itself."

"Which is?" Sasuke asked coolly.

The old man paused, his face sullen. They had to know he really didn't want to tell them. But he had to. They needed time to prepare. And he'd only confirmed his findings just recently. "Two years from now."

All three inhaled sharply, but it was Naruto who stood up, bursting with emotion. "Are you telling us we have to stay here two years?! Can't you just blip us the place and time he shows up and let us do it now?!"

He shook his head, his voice serious and solemn. "I'm afraid I can't."

"_Why?_" Sasuke asked, the day finally falling around him.

"Because, Uchiha, time is very delicate. Your threads have already woven themselves into this place and point in history. He knows you're here but he doesn't know who you are or when you'll strike. If I moved you to his location and time he'd know it immediately and kill you before anything had a chance to be fixed. Like with Obito, you only have once chance I'm afraid."

"This is bullshit," Sasuke whispered hoarsely, surprising his team, who stared at him sad and soft eyed. He'd suffered the most since being here after all. "Do you have any idea what I've been trough these past two weeks?" He continued, eyes rippling with pain. "Do you?"

Eon nodded. "Yes, I do. It's why this is so hard for me."

Sasuke blinked. "Are you saying the time Sasuke has spent with his brother had not affected the flow of time?"

Eon nodded. "It hasn't. Sasuke's interference has changed nothing, That is why I haven't stopped any of you from the connections you've made with people here. If it were to have an affect you wouldn't be here to begin with. The Trinity's duties will never badly affect time."

Sasuke wasn't sure if he should be relived or angry. He instead stood there, speechless as the old mad spoke.

"You see, when you three leave, the memories people have of you here will fade to a foggy dream. They'll know you were here, but not your names. They see your faces, but it'll be distorted." He smiled sadly.

"No one will remember us?" Sakura whispered, saddened.

Eon paused, as if once more trying to figure something out. A memory of his own. "Not entirely... those with strong emotional ties, if their will is strong enough, not even I can affect them."

Everyone was quiet as they all processed this new information. While it was good to know their actions wouldn't too deeply damage the flow, knowing they couldn't change certain things could be saddening. It hurt Sasuke because some part of him had held a candle of hope Itachi might change. To think he'd forget about him after all this was disheartening. For Sakura? She didn't exactly know what it was, but she dimly hated the idea that her actions might not change her former sensei. And Naruto? He wasn't sure yet. However, he knew in his own heart, the reason was Minato. As time progressed he'd grown very close to the Fourth. Accepting his death would be a hard thing indeed.

"What is our next task?" It was Naruto who finally got the courage to speak.

Eon didn't hesitate. "In two years a great Bijuu will attack the village," he said as he swept his arm to show them a windowed scene of the great nine tails doing damage on the outer gates of Konoha.

"Yes, we know that," Sakura informed him.

"When is does," he went on, looking at the image as it changed to the Fourth on the back of the great toad boss with a baby in his arms, "Namikaze Minato will trade his life for the lives of the villagers without reservation." The scene then showed him placing the child down in a basket with some candles surrounding it. "As this happens the Third will attempt to stop him. However, something stops the Third." The image switched the Hokage running down the chaos filled streets. A shadow lept from a darkened alley and knocked him unconscious. "You're next task is simple. You must see to it the Third reaches his destination, takes the Fourth's place, and that Namikaze Minato survives." The window dispersed and he turned back to look at them all, hands once more behind his back.

"You must also see to it this man does not kill Minato at all costs. And the Bijuu must be placed in Naruto. The Fourth must survive. If he does not, all is lost. If there is one task above all others that is important, it is this one. The future depends on his survival."

"But... isn't the Third suppose to die during the Chuunin exam?" Sakura said breathlessly. "If he's not there to stop Orochimaru... "

Eon shook his head. "Those memories are still foggy to me. All I know is this is how it's all needed to occur."

Naruto stared at Eon. But he wasn't really looking at him. At first he'd been overjoyed that the man who'd become a hero in his eyes was going to live on. But it had suddenly gone sour at the realization that he might die anyway when Orochimaru ambushed the first Chuunin exam he'd taken part in. Still, the old man hadn't said he would die. He'd just said he didn't know the outcome.

"Alright," Sasuke allowed, "we have two years right?"

Eon nodded.

Sasuke sighed long and hard as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Very well... I'll endure it somehow..."

Naruto nodded. "I'd miss the Fourth if he died... I'm going to miss the Third as it is..."

"But someone has to die to save the village," Sakura said what he didn't want to. She looked up at Eon. "We understand, Eon-sama. I hope you can understand enough to leave us with our grief and thoughts. While we are saving lives... we're still going to lose someone in the end anyway."

He nodded and took a step back, bowing. "I wish you luck then." Before they could ask another word everything returned to normal and the darkness faded.

"So," Sasuke began after a good two minutes, "I suppose this means no matter what we do we really can't change anything he doesn't want us to change."

Sakura bit her lower lip. While she wanted to argue with him it seemed he was right. Even if they managed to affect someone strong enough to force their will alone to remember them... she doubted those chances were high.

"But..." Naruto said softly, "he said if their will..."

"I'm not getting my hopes up," Sasuke muttered, walking off. "It's never done any good before." Then he was gone down the hall, the door to his room clicking shut with an echo.

"I think I'll go to bed," Sakura announced as she stood, defeated.

Naruto looked up as she passed him by. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her. When she looked at him, depressed he spoke softly. "We have to stick together, Sakura. Separated were weak. As a united team we can do anything. You have to believe that. We have to help Sasuke see that. We can make a difference here if we try hard enough."

"I want to," she whispered, eyes rippling. "I just don't know... " She shook her head. "Sasuke has been through a lot since he's been here. More than either of us."

"I know, Sakura." He released her hand, slumping. "But we can't give up now. We can't. not on him. Not on this. Not ever."

She gently pat his head, smiling. "We won't. Don't worry, Naruto. I have faith in you. Sasuke does too. We'll make everything right in the end. But," she said softly still, "you have to realize, no matter how hard it is, the possibility still exists that Itachi will never change. Sasuke is probably trying to accept this now. It's harder for him than you know." She paused as his face looked even more depressed. "We'll do what we can. But the important part is to be there for him now, ok?"

He nodded, smiling a little. At least it was real. "Ok."


	17. Chapter 17

**..Chapter Seventeen..**

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**..**

_"What?"_

_Sakura sighed, hands on her hips as she regarded the two men on the couch with a level of patience. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. She'd known telling them was going to be hard. And she fully expected them to put up a fight about it._

_"I won't be gone that long. The training and tests only last six months. Then I'm allowed to have contact with people outside of the unit again."_

_Naruto looked exasperated. "Six months...?" He blinked. "Sakura.. we're a team. We have to get ready for the fight. All we have is two years. How can you get ready for it if you're busy with..."_

_Sasuke picked up where he left off. "He has a point, Sakura. Their rank is hardly seen around the village. I doubt they do anything besides missions."_

_She sighed. "Don't either of you understand why I'm doing this?"_

_Naruto shook his head. "You could die out there. It's not like being a Jounin or a Chuunin. We can't protect you if we're not with you. Sa--."_

_Her fist slamming into the coffee table made him go silent. The rage slicing across her cold green eyes was enough to make him continue being quiet. Sasuke didn't say a word. He merely lowered his lashes slightly, giving the impression to anyone looking close enough that he knew what Naruto had said was the wrong thing._

_"I don't want you to always protect me. That's why I'm doing this. I don't want to be burden, a third wheel or anything else. I want to be able to equally pull my weight on this team. Both physically and mentally."_

_Naruto waited until she sat down in the chair to speak. And when he did, his voice was full of humility. "You're not a burden, Sakura... we just... we can't protect each other if we're spread out."_

_"I know..." she whispered. "And I can't protect either of you as I am now. That's why I need to do this."_

_Sasuke kept his eyes away from them both as if thinking._

_Naruto closed his eyes, slouching as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Yes... but... Sakura... ANBU?" He shook his head. "It's like signing a death warrant. So much more is expected of them. And without us... how will you..." He slowly stood and looked down at her. "You won't change your mind will you?" Silence answered him. "Very well..." He shook his head and walked away._

_She didn't move to go after him. She didn't turn to look as he walked away. No, instead, her eyes went to Sasuke as he seemed to drift off into space. Her eyes narrowed. "Well?"_

_"What? He muttered._

_"Do you hate my choice as well?"_

_He turned to look at her, obsidian depths appearing to know all; to see through anything. "Naruto doesn't hate your choice."_

_She grunted in response._

_He smirked. "He's just worried. ANBU isn't easy. A lot of people die during the six month period of training." He shrugged. "I know you can handle it though."_

_"But, you're not happy about it," she accused._

_"It doesn't matter if I'm happy," he argued back._

_She pulled her knees up to her chest. "Yes it does. You're apart of my team. I want you to support my decisions."_

_All he did was shrug again._

_Sakura watched him a moment longer and then, once she was sure he would say nothing more she looked away. She knew they wouldn't be happy with her decision. She knew Naruto would be worried. She hadn't expected him to walk out of the room though, defeated look on his face. She thought he would fight her more and eventually she would convince him it was the right choice._

_And Sasuke?_

_The silence was killing her. What was he thinking about? He said he knew she would be fine. He'd said as much. But, like Naruto, he didn't want to break up the team. And she wasn't. She would only be gone for a while. And then take a few missions. After that they could do what they needed, go home, and have a normal life._

_So why didn't it feel like that?_

_Sakura's eyes suddenly went to Sasuke's as he stood up._

_He began to walk past the chair she sat in, stopping as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. He looked down at her, eyes soft. "I won't tell you not to do it. I know you won't change your mind."_

_She watched him with quiet and careful curiosity. What was with the sudden change in his mood?_

_"What I will tell you is to be careful. And that while you won't understand what I'm going to say next, I'm not going to explain myself, so don't bother asking." He paused, allowing it time to process. "I know you think you're doing this for yourself. And part of you probably is. Of that I have no idea." He shrugged. "When this is all over we'll go back home and no one will remember us in this time and place. Itachi will still kill my family. Naruto may very well still be alone if Minato is killed by Orochimaru... And you?" He smiled painfully. "Kakashi will still be just your ex sensei." She looked like she was ready to argue so he went on quickly. "Don't say anything. I'm not blind. Even if you don't know it yet, something is happening between you two. My eyes don't lie. They never have." When he was sure she wouldn't say anything else, he continued further._

_"Love him, if that's what you want Sakura. Follow him, if that's what your heart is telling you. But, don't forget, at the end of this... he may not remember you at all. I know the chance is there... but... just prepared for the loss; like we all have to at some point."_

_..._

Her hands played over over the railing of the ship as she looked out at the sea. Her cool green eyes were distant as her mind digested on. That day... she hadn't recalled it for some time now. But she knew why she was all of a sudden. Because she was going home after a three month mission in Wave. In just a day from now the Kyuubi would attack, Sarutobi would die... and they could go home. Back to the normalcy, back to her duties in the hospital, back to Naruto becoming Hokage and Sasuke trying to avenge his clan.

Her soft lips pursed and she leaned into the cold railing as the small boat ferried them across. Another ten minutes or so and they'd be back in Fire Country. Another half a day and they'd be home. Not her home, but home nonetheless.

So much had changed since that day. Even between the times she saw Naruto and Sasuke things were different. Two years did a lot to a person. But, she knew nothing would ever come between her and her two comrades.

Her eyes softened as the dark sea winds whipped her soft strands about her features. Sasuke's words that day still troubled her. And as time passed, as her time with Kakashi went on, as she watched his back in ANBU and he hers... it became harder and harder to not think on Sasuke's words.

They'd become close. Best friends. Something entirely different from what she had with her boys. She couldn't define it. She couldn't find a line. She didn't even know where one would lay if they had one. She just knew the way she felt about Kakashi now was nothing like what she felt about him years ago in her own time. Why?

Was it because she's grown up with him for a little while? That she got to see him as a boy? That he confided in her? That he let his guard down when even he didn't know it? She knew from watching him enough the way he treated her was not the way he treated everyone else. But, she'd continued to brush that off to just being close friends with him.

There was so much of the man she got to see that she'd never seen before when he was her teacher. She wasn't even sure she could view him in the same light anymore. No, that was especially hard when you watched someone you cared about slowly turn from a boy and into a man. Ninja had to grew up fast as it was, so in a way, it was like finally seeing his skin catch up with him.

The cool waves beat up against the hull of the ship as if to let everyone know they were there. The stars danced a reflection off the moving, rippling waters. It was soothing to her.

Her eyes drifted half shut as her mind wandered once more. Love him, Sasuke had said. Follow him, he'd told her. But that wasn't why she had done this. Even now she was sure of it. Of course when Kakashi had told everyone he was joining ANBU she couldn't help but think she might want to. And perhaps part of her wanted to go with him, stay by his side, have his back. She couldn't help but want to make sure he stayed safe. She knew he would survive. They hadn't change the future that much. Even Eon had told them so.

She couldn't explain it. It was just a gut wrenching fear; a feeling. Something telling her that if she didn't make sure her 'future' sensei watched his own hide no one would. Kakashi could be incredibly stubborn sometimes. Most assuredly when it came to his wounds, injuries or being outnumbered.

Just like her.

She looked to her left and smiled. Speak of the devil. "Hello, Kakashi."

"Yo," he muttered with a wave, leaning back into the railing next to her.

She scanned his half masked features. Like her, he'd went without the ANBU mask tonight. They were close enough to home to do without it. Still, it was funny to see him with one eye closed and the other open. "Where's your headband?"

He shrugged. "I just took off the mask. It's hard to wear with it on. You know that."

"Yeah yeah," she mused while smiling, her gaze drifting back to the sea as land came in closer. It had been soothing without him close by. But now, like always, his presence calmed her more than just the sounds around her.

"You're quiet," he accused, poking her cheek playfully. He dodged the swatting hand she gave in return.

"Just thinking," she said. She didn't move away from the hand that slunk it's way around her waist. Touching was nothing new to them. It was her way of communicating with those she care about deeply. Kakashi was one of those people. Even if he'd never been the type of person she did with before in her own time.

"You've been like this for a few days now," he edged quietly. "Even when we took out those Sand nin hired in Wave your normal determination was off. I had to cover your ass when that bomb went off."

She grunted. "I've done the same for you." He knew her so well. And when it was like this she hated it. Hate was a strong word, but she didn't know how else to describe that feeling she got. The one that told her to hide everything from him the same way he'd always hidden things from team seven. There was so much she'd learned from him in the two years that passed. Why had he never confided in her when she was his student? His friend.

_Because_, her mind spoke back, _you were just his student. You weren't his comrade, his confidant. Not like you are now._

He chuckled softly, pulling her close in a half hug. "I know. You do all the time. Now," he said, getting serious, "why don't you tell me what's bothering you?"

She arched a brow, looking over at him. He was close, as usual. Something she'd slowly gotten use to. "Why would something be bothering me?"

He reached down, brushing aside a strand of pink from her eyes. And for a moment, as he opened both eyes to look at her, Sakura through felt something pass between them. Something flash in his eyes as the wind whipped his short strands of silver. He really was something, she found herself thinking; and not for the first time.

He was such a good man, an honorable man. It was enough to make any woman cry with want. Was Sasuke right? Was that why she was torn up now? Was that why everything hurt so much? Because she had feelings for him that went deeper than she'd ever imagined?

No, it wasn't fair. And she wouldn't allow it to be. No matter how much time passed here she could not love him. She could not pursue him because, just like Eon said, he wouldn't remember her once she left. And she wasn't sure... no, she knew her heart couldn't take it. Falling in love with Hataka Kakashi would break her.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes remained on his as his voice swam across her senses. They'd been closer than ever for two years. They laughed together, drank together (in moderation; sixteen was still the legal limit), fought together and sometimes, when shit got rough, he would cry on her shoulder. But it only happened once. And even then, like now, Sakura found herself questioning Sasuke's words.

She shook her head, forcing those questioning feelings down, and smiled. "I'm fine. I think I'm just missing home, is all."

He watched her for a while longer, like he knew she was lying, but let it go. After a brief nod he released her. His reluctance in doing so did not go unnoticed by her. But she refused to think on it.

"We've got about two minutes before we dock. Do you need to rest before we start the path home?"

She shook her head. "No, I'll be good. The nap we took before leaving has me plenty rested." It felt better to go back to a less prying subject. After all, he couldn't know she was worried about the Kyuubi, about the Fourth, hell... about him if she wanted to be honest with herself.

"Alright," he reached down and grabbed both of their bags, handing her one. "Let's get ready."

She tugged the pack onto her back and followed him to the front of the ferry where everyone else was gathering. As the ship docked and let down it's ramp both her and the Copy Nin waited until everyone got off to follow after. It did no use to fight the crowds of civilians. Especially when they'd be taking to the trees because it was faster and easier to conceal themselves from the enemy should something come up.

As they lept up Sakura shouted over with a playful tone, "By the way, last one to Konoha writes the report." She laughed at the expression on his face, headband finally over his left eye. Ah, but Kakashi was so full of expression even with his half mask on. She'd learned to read those expressions over time.

He didn't appear to like her humor. Probably because he hated writing reports. Something she'd also learned why working with him. But that didn't stop him from taking on her dare, spurring his movements forward with chakra under his feet just as she did.

A smile crossed her features, never leaving as the rush of the wind in her face urged her on. It was moments like these she secretly wished her life here would never end. Her heart yearned for the times she could share with him like this. He wasn't the same man; not around her. He was kinder, softer, trusting.

Kakashi always gave his all for his team mates. He risked his life time and time again. He'd sooner die than lose his friends again. She knew that. She understood it now. Almost losing Obito, and her time actually losing him, made him that way. She learned it was hard for him to trust others. Not because they might betray him, but because he might lose them. Everyone left Kakashi. People went and came. Not because they wanted to, but because the life of a shinobi was short.

That was who he was in her time. A closed off individual who kept everyone at arm's length. Close enough to keep them safe, but not close enough for them to break his shell. They could cry on him all they wanted to; however, it would never be the other way around.

Maybe that's what she hated. She wasn't one of those people to him. He confided her. He trusted her. And she hadn't left him in death. But she would leave him eventually. Not really. But he wouldn't know that. And he would forget all about her. She would be nothing but a whispering memory in his ear...

_Stop it, Haruno_, she ordered herself. Friends. They were friends. That's all they would be. That's all they ever would be. Nothing was going to change that. Better to be his friend than lose him. The pain of getting over Sasuke had been enough for her. Better not to pine after someone who would never recall her; even on the hope, the chance, that he might.

She drilled it into the back of her mind as they drew further into the dark forest. She didn't have time to be woolgathering anyway. Kakashi was gaining on her and almost passing her.

"Don't use too much chakra," he taunted.

That was all she needed to urge herself more.

ooo

Her feet beat in his ears past the gates. Damn, she was fast though. He might have her on the fighting, the secret tactics of his, but as far as speed went she'd gotten really good. He never thought it was possible for one person to learn so much in two years. Hell, he had, but that was because of his eye. For her it was all brains. She had a photographic memory. And damn it all if that didn't make him want her more.

He grunted playfully as she laughed at him, showing her victory face before sticking a tongue out at him. His team mate, Sakura, was so much wrapped into one. Such an utter mystery. There was so much he didn't know about her. So much he wanted to know about her. You'd think he would know her like a book by now. But no, she was good at hiding things, his cherry blossom.

Both of them waved to the Kotetsu and Izumo.

"She get you again, Kakashi?" Kotetsu calls out playfully.

"Heh... this time," he muttered back as they stepped up to the booth.

"She gets you everytime," Izumo called with a laugh. "Why not just give up and write the reports?"

He smiled. "And where would be the fun in that? It's much more interesting to watch her from behind." He chuckled as she swatted his arm while he signed the clipboard.

"I have to agree with Kakashi, Sakura. Not trying to be a pervert or anything, but any man would have to be a monk not to notice your rump." This from Kotetsu.

Sakura rolled her eyes as she took the clipboard from Kakashi and signed her own name and time. "I'm not sure if I should be flattered or disgusted."

"Flattered," Kakashi answered. "Besides, it's good payment for having to write the mission report---again."

She smirked as she handed the clipboard to Kotetsu. "Perhaps you're right. I guess the more you stare at my ass the more you'll screw up, huh? I'll have to keep that in mind."

His one good eye went wide. What was she plotting for him? "Neh... Sakura..." He half whined. He listened as both men laughed at his expense. But the laughter soon quieted as a loud boom echoed through the trees.

All four ninja turned to look past the gates of Konoha as a smoke began to rise in the distance. It was quiet for a moment longer. And then...

A blast of fire came careening down the dark path, heading right for the gates.

"No," Sakura whispered, dread filling her, "not now."

"Sakura?" Kakashi questioned.

She shook her head as the the sirens started to go off in the watchtowers on the village walls. "Hurry! We have to close the gates!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** OMG!! This chapter was so hard to write. I had to erase it like, six times. -.- I wanted to pull my hair out. That's why it was so hard to get done and uploaded. And right now, I'm so irked, I'm gonna go read for a while. I need a break -sticks tongue out- Forgive me for not replying to some reviews. I will next chapter when I'm feeling, ya know, less agitated.

Anyway, I hope everything was conveyed correctly in this. I didn't want Sakura admitting to herself too soon. After all, we've got a whole 'nother two years to skip to. Plus! Maybe a trip to the Land of Snow. Who knows? We'll see.

**--Blade**


	18. Chapter 18

**..Chapter Eighteen..**

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Screams permeated the village. People ran rampant. Children cried in the chaos. Genin level shinobi were trying to direct civilians towards the monument for evacuations. The fires hadn't gone past the walls yet. The beast was still a ways off from that just yet. Oh, but he was closing in. Every ninja with even a hinted sense of chakra training could tell the deadly intent, the hatred, the blood lust. You didn't even have to look at it, see it's eyes. Just the demonic aura, the chakra, was enough to send even the weakest of shinobi into a fit of fear.

Two lone ninja made their way through the mass hysteria like a blur. Few could even catch their movements, much less read them. Time was of the essence.

"What the hell is going on?" Sasuke muttered, leaping across the rooftop of a building.

"I'll give you three guesses," Naruto muttered, stopping near the front of the village. His eyes stared upwards as one tail flailed wildly in the ebony night. It like a tear in the skies, a flag, a red warning that Eon had been wrong. He knew that chakra. He could feel the same one burning into his veins, his core, seeking release. It took everything he had to suppress the Kyuubi within him. Something told him, no screamed, no matter what he did he could not go near the beast outside the walls.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as Stalker fluttered to his shoulder, finally catching up. "This wasn't suppose to happen until tomorrow."

Naruto snorted. "No shit, genius." His eyes only briefly glanced at Sasuke before going back to the raging fires beyond the gates above them.

"How far is he?"

Naruto shook his head. "At least a mile or so."

Sasuke's eyes widened a moment. If Naruto caught it he wasn't saying anything. "We have time then. We need to find Sarutobi." Sasuke began preforming a series of hand signs as Stalker lept off his shoulder, taking to the skies and gaining altitude.

"What about Sakura? She was coming home today," Naruto cried out, hands spread.

Sasuke paused on the last hand sign. "We'll find her next." Before Naruto could argue further he finished the jutsu. "Sharingan! Eyes of The Predator!" Coals depths shifted, revealing the red and black signatures of his eye technique. Above him, in the eyes of his animal nin was quickly reflected the same technique.

Exhaling and closing his eyes, Sasuke began to search.

"But... Sasuke..."

"I know, damnit. Patience. Let me work."

ooo

Kakashi watched as she ran forward, chakra laced through her black gloved fingers while she reached for one gate door. The fire was coming close, barreling down the chasm of green and oak. Everything crackled under it's rage. His one good eye widened.

He ran to the other side, chakra allowing him to climb up the wall. Just as she was pushing the first door closed he was reaching for the rope controlled gear to close the other. He grit his teeth, pulling with a growl. His muscles cried in protest. Damnit, they weren't going to get in time. He had to do something. These doors took at least an hour to close without jutsus. And he didn't have her monstrous strength.

He dashed out of the watchtower, pushing aside a Chuunin guard as he ran down the wall. He landed and realized it was right on top of him, the blaze. He didn't have much time to act. And Sakura still hadn't gotten the gates quite shut. They'd all be burned alive if he didn't get to it. Like hell he was dying here.

He did a series of hand signs. _Tiger, Serpent, Tiger, Modified Snake. _"Water Release: Water Encampment Wall!" It gathered behind him, coming from the air, the trees and anything the heat hadn't already swallowed whole. He'd of pulled it from his own chakra... but well, it took too much. And he didn't want to if he didn't have to.

The rush of the wave spurred past, crashing against the ground and trees. Just as soon as the heat of fire came closing in he sent the wall upward, pushing it back. He didn't know how he manageded it in time, but somehow he stopped it. Steam gases from the clash drifted upward. Droplets sprayed around him.

He smirked and dropped his hands to his side just as the doors behind him shut and locked.

"Kakashi!"

He turned, looking up at Sakura, fully expecting to see her glowering at him. But she wasn't. No, her eyes were off in the distance. And he knew why by now. That deadly chakra didn't go unnoticed. Those flames weren't normal.

He climbed back up, standing next to her, joining her gaze outward. His own single eye of gray-black widened. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before. "The Kyuubi..." he breathed.

Sakura didn't say anything. Wind mixed with soot whipped at her hair; it thrashed into her features, coating them in black muck and dirt. Ash grazed her cheeks, eyelashes and lips. Like a rain of black snow it stained her hair and clothes. That's how terrible the heat was.

Her insides shook. The fear that sliced through her right then was like no other she'd felt before. Was this what it was like for Naruto all the time? This immense feeling of insanity mixed with pure, unadulterated blood lust? A shiver ran up her spine. She understood why the villages wanted to control this power. And at the same time she understood why it was so wrong to do so. In his own terrible way the Kyuubi was beautiful. You couldn't bottle that kind of passion, that kind of rage. The Fourth had done it, would try to do it, because he didn't have a choice. It was such a shame a creature such as he couldn't be calmed, talked to. However... she supposed that was part of his allure, wasn't it?

Her sharp eyes turned to a Chuunin guard who was mesmerized by the sight. "You there!"

He turned to look at her, fear in his eyes. "Y-yes?"

"Has the Hokage been notified?"

He managed to nod, swallowing. The rise and fall of his Adam's apple did not go unnoticed. "W-we called him just before the phones went out."

"How long ago?" Kakashi asked next, coming up along side of her.

"About a half an hour ago. Right when the attack first started." He blinked at the wide eyes before him. "Don't you know?" He shook his head. "Kushina-sama, his fiance, is giving birth. She has been for hours." He frowned. "It's can't be easy for him..."

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she looked back at the raging Kyuubi in the distance. Who knew how long it would be before he made it to the gates. Damnit, how could Eon be wrong about this? By a whole day? What if she'd taken that nap and come back hours later? Would there be a Konoha left? Would the Fourth be stopped? She didn't want to fathom it. Right now was not the time for 'what ifs'.

"Kakashi," she spoke with a voice of command.

"Yes?"

Her eyes remained fixed on the beast. "Watch for the Fourth. I'll be back." She turned and walked towards the other ledge, getting ready to run down and into the village, fully intent on searching for Naruto and Sasuke. Who knew how much time they had. The Fourth could already be running for the front gates even now, baby in hand. And this was their one chance to go home... to end it all. As she took a small step forward a hand gripped her upper arm. She didn't bother looking over, soft pools of emerald cast in the direction she intended to leave.

He didn't know why he did it. He hardly understood it himself. But the tone her voice, the way she held herself, the way she moved just then... it was the same way she acted whenever she went into enemy territory alone. Hell, not just her, both of them. And the emotion was always the same for them both---that fear of not coming back. But all those other times they had each others backs. They knew what to watch for. They kept each other safe.

Maybe it wasn't just her voice, or the way she didn't meet his gaze. Maybe it wasn't any of those things. Maybe it was the desperation in the wind. Like Kami himself was telling him to finally do something about the torrent in his chest.

"Why do I get the feeling that I won't see you again?" He couldn't help those words. He'd never been much of an emotional man. He'd never worn his heart on his sleeve. That didn't stop him from saying it though. Because it was her. Because he did love her.

It was for all the times he lost his voice. For all the time he couldn't see straight. For all the times he dreamed about touching her, being with her, torturing himself with the after images in his mind.

Not today.

Her eyes turned to his, flashing as he met his gaze finally. They were wide only a moment. "What..."

He didn't give her time to explain, time to argue, time to tell him no. Words always complicated things with Sakura. Always. So, instead, he reached for the top of his mask, pulling down. At her momentary gasp of shock he pulled her into his arms, his lips crashing to hers as he drug her flush against him. She wasn't fighting him. It was like she'd been waiting for him too. Because she was kissing back. He could feel her fingers tangling in his hair, tugging.

Oh god, it wasn't perfect. It wasn't the seasoned sort of kissing one did after years of practice. Of course he'd had seduction missions the same as anyone else... but it just wasn't the same. Nothing would ever be like this. Kissing her was like a new drug he'd only just partaken of. Looking at her would never be just enough for him anymore.

Her tongue, her lips, the way her body responded to his. It set his blood on fire. His heart hammered in his chest. He suddenly realized just why he'd done this. He didn't want her to go. And he could feel it in his bones just by the way she was responding to him. She was going to leave.

She broke away from him, panting and licking her bruised lips. Her eyes were like twin pools of endless green. The sea was no comparison to the abyss of her gaze. Her lower lip trembled and she pulled away from him. He could tell she was gathering strength.

"I'll be back," she promised. Before he could argue otherwise she was running down the wall. It wasn't until then he noticed the fall of her tears on the air, suspended for a moment before they fell after her.

"I love you..." he whispered.

ooo

"Got him." His eyes flashed open, red Sharingan turning, flaring. The technique was quickly dispelled after a final message was relayed to Stalker. "Let's get going." He stood up, brushing Naruto aside because of his close proximity and ran for the ledge. He was off like a shot, his comrade trailing behind him.

Naruto eyes narrowed and his lips turned to a flat line as he caught up with Sasuke. Cold blues were like fire as he glared at him. "And Sakura?"

"I'm looking for her now. As soon as Stalker finds her she'll find us." He did everything in his power to keep his tone even, emotionless or at the very least calm.

"What if he doesn't find her, Sasuke? What if..." Before he could finish his sentence he was grabbed out of the air and held the by the collar of his shirt. Naruto took hold of his wrist to keep from choking. The look in Sasuke's eyes... it was like nothing that has ever been directed at him.

"Don't say that," he ordered coolly. "Because when you stop having faith in her, of all people, I do."

Naruto blinked. They stayed like that for a long while. Sasuke's words hanging in the air and Naruto's near lack of understanding dangling along with it.

"You're the rock we stand on, Naruto," he continued. "Your faith has moved mountains. Understand?"

He didn't nod yet. Mainly because it was still ingraining itself in his mind. It creeped along and he slowly understood. The way his body shook... they way he tried to contain it all... Sasuke was just as worried as he was; if not more so. By voicing his own fears he was voicing Sasuke's as well. In his own quiet, hard way he was asking him to remain faithful and strong for him.

Naruto nodded as he set him down and released Sasuke's wrist.

"Come on. We've wasted enough time. Sarutobi first. Then Sakura."

With that final word they ran off into the night of ash and ember.

ooo

Sakura ran.

She raced down the alleyways and sideway streets, her eyes scanning for any sign of her team mates or Sarutobi. Anything to keep her mind off Hatake Kakashi and his soft lips. Anything to keep her heart from racing like she was dying. Anything to help her forget the emotions he'd caused to rise in her. Anyway... yes anything... to help her forget what he'd wanted to tell her and what she'd run from to begin with.

She was glad he wouldn't remember her. She wanted him to forget. It wouldn't be nearly as easy for her. Her mind would recall it all with perfect clarity until the day she died. Every caress of his lips, every touch, every brush of his fingers. It wasn't just that one moment though. It was all the nights they spent together, camping out under the stars during a mission. It was all the times they were holed up in enemy territory, fighting for their lives, bloodied and near death, griping onto one another until they reached safety; neither giving up on the other, too stubborn to die for fear of the other not surviving.

It was all the times he smiled behind his mask, laughed at her. It was all the times he urged her on during training exercises when they were still under lockdown in the unit. He'd been her only comrade. And it'd been no real surprise when they'd been assigned together when they were released as newly ranked ANBU. They worked well together. There was no power struggle, no need to argue about who's word was law. They just both took the best coarse of action.

That, she realized, was what she was going to miss.

She didn't want to hear those words from him. The cheesy words the hero says to the lead female at the halfway point in a movie before he goes off to die or risk his life. It was always the same, that hushed emotion. Such three simple little words that could cause so many problems; so much heartache.

Sasuke was right... she was going to have to find a way to deal with the loss. She wasn't in love with him... but it was going to hurt all the same. No, if she admitted she was or even might be, all would be lost. Because, surely right then, she would fall in love with him. Just for thinking on it too long.

Admitting it, even just to herself, would tear her apart.

She shouldn't have kissed him back. How could she have not? It might be the one and only time she got that part of him... that piece of him. It might be her only memory. Not of the cold, hard edged, Icha Icha reading Jounin, former ANBU black ops man who was her sensei. That man was her friend. He held her at arm's length. And he would never let her in. No, she wanted the man who loved her.

She stopped running suddenly as hit her. He loved her. Someone loved her. Not in the platonic brother way. Not in the I wanna have sex with you so I'll say pretty things way. No, he loved her in the way you only read about in novels. The way a woman only dreamed about. The way she'd hoped to be loved as a girl. The way she'd given up on as a woman.

A sudden screeching in her ear had her thoughts shattering. Stalker flew past her and called to her. She didn't hesitate as she was dashing off after him.

It was time.

ooo

The shadows were their guise, hiding them as they crept along after the Third. It wasn't that hard. The man was obviously on edge, running down the street and towards the gates of Konoha like one possessed. Now all they had to do was catch the cloaked man before he knocked out Sarutobi. That was the problem though. Eon hadn't given them any information him. He had none. What if they couldn't stop him? What if their jutsu wasn't powerful enough? Was he even a ninja? A chakra user? What if he was like Eon? Some weird mystical being?

Sasuke just had to hope whatever he was they could take him out or at least capture him. As a shinobi there were many times in your life when you had no idea what to expect from the enemy; times when you didn't even know who the enemy was. However, what you always did know was they were some type of ninja. That gave you some level of preparation, at least, no matter how small.

He didn't like the smell of this to begin with. The Kyuubi was a day early and Sakura was no where in sight. His nerves were on edge and it was taking everything in him to remain calm. He prayed Stalker found her soon. There was a lot he could on his own, but there were also a lot of jutsus, high level ones he'd developed, that could only be done in conjunction with Stalker.

"Stop," muttered Naruto as he gripped Sasuke's shirt, pulling in back into the alleyway.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as Sarutobi slowed down. Something pricked at his senses. Why would the old man slow down? Unless....

His eyes went wide as he saw something shift in the shadows of another alleyway. As soon as he was about to act a form came flying across the street and strait into the wall next to him. Brick crumbled and dust erupted in a loud, earth shattering boom.

He and Naruto both dashed out of the alleyway, looking to see who'd been hit and fully ready to act. Sasuke pulled out his sword, the elegant blade gleaming off the light of the moon clear in the skies. As Naruto and he waited for the dust to clear next to them he kept his eyes on the alley. His eyes softened and his stance became lax as Sakura came out of the darkness, fists blazing green-blue chakra.

Her face was tense. "I'm going after Sarutobi! Take care of him!"

Sasuke nodded and cried out after her. "Watch your ass!"

Naruto grinned as they moved back and away from the clearing dust cloud. It was obvious he was happy Sakura was ok. Now both of them could fully concentrate on the fight at hand.

Sasuke smirked and prepared himself as Stalker landed on his shoulder.

They didn't have to wait too long. The figure swathed in ebony slowly stood, rubble crumbling around him as he moved away from the wall, the hole. Dust coated his cloak. Ashen white and gray, now making it easy to pick him out of the darkness.

"So, you're the one's he's chosen," a deep voice echoed. A dark chuckle escaped his hidden lips. "The Trinity? Hm, more like a couple of kids. Though, I must admit, your little girl does pack quite a punch."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Cut the crap."

"You don't have time to talk," Sasuke agreed with a smirk. "After all, you're our ticket home."

"Such impatience." His hands moved up, covered in a black leather. He began to form hand signs at an alarming rate.

Sasuke's red eyes followed him. "I won't let you." Already he was mimicking his movements, his eyes trying to trap and narrow down his jutsu. The Copy Nin wasn't his sensei for nothing.

He was going to find that out rather quickly.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Ok, so no one seemed to really have any questions. A few confused comments though. So I'll try to answer them as best I can. However, first an overview from me. I wanted to really make sure people got a good grasp of how Sasuke and Itachi felt. It was important to me. There are reasons behind this. Reason I can't begin to unravel now. Trust me when I say I did certain things for future chapters.

**Pance ::** I personally have to move the story another two years forward in time because, let's be honest, all my stories contain lemons. And I'm not gonna have 14 and 15 year-olds having sex. It's just too much for me. I know I cross a lot of lines in some of my stuff... but yeah, that's a little too far. -chuckles- So, after some more story development in this time, we'll go ahead another two years. And then things will finally start to kick off in another direction. I hope that helped answer your question?

**DarkChocol8807 ::** I skipped ahead two years in the story. The six months was just how long she went to what I like to call ANBU 'boot camp'. I think there's a nine week period in the armed forces where you're in boot camp. You can't have contact with family or friends, I think. Anyway, that's what that was for. Time has passed though. It has been two years. And Sakura has had contact with her boys since. Does that help?

To everyone else who replied, thank you. There were just too many reviews because I got lazy in replying. If i missed your question let me know. I'll be sure to give you a shout out if you want one. -hugs all around-

Thanks to everyone else.

**--Blade**


	19. Chapter 19

**..Chapter Nineteen..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

Booted feet pounded into the dirt road unbidden by the need to hide her presence or actions. The night was still hot from the fires of the Kyuubi. She could tell it was getting worse. Part of her wanted to run back to her comrades and face their ticket home. However, much of her knew, like her, they were more than prepared for this fight. Unknown or not, Sakura had to trusted their ability to succeed. And they had to trust her ability to make sure Sarutobi made it to Minato before he made the mistake that would affect the fabric of time itself.

She didn't understand any of this. She wasn't going to complain about the Fourth surviving, nor was she going to feel better because the Third was going to die. She had already mourned his death. But, somehow, knowing it was coming again, at a price this great, didn't make it any easier. She should have questioned Eon two years ago. But emotions were too high that night. Sasuke learning he could not change what had already been laid down beforehand had hurt them all. Both of them learning Naruto might never know the love of a father, if that's who Minato was, had hurt as well. To her, learning, realizing, that no matter how she felt about Kakashi, that she would lose him... that had been a hit to her heart she never anticipated.

For years they had been friends. Closer than she ever imagined. And now she didn't know what to call him. He was first her teacher, then her equal, and now? He was still her equal, in more ways than one; but, he was something else too. And it was that 'something else' that she had to push down. That she had to ignore. If they went home tonight he would never again be that 'something else' again.

Her green emerald pools caught sight of him. The back of his shinobi uniform was the first thing she saw. He was running as fast she was, chakra boosting his steps. If he had noticed the being her two team mates were fighting he wasn't showing it now. If anything he seemed locked ahead on the goal at hand.

As she got closer to him her voice called out, "Sarutobi-sama!"

His head turned briefly to look at her. By this time she was right up next to him, meeting his pace. "Sakura? What are you doing here? You should be at the front lines." His voice was gruff.

She nodded. "I'm here to make sure you successfully make it there yourself." She paused. "I know what The Hokage is going to do."

His lips pursed and he too paused as to take in her information. "This is apart of your mission?"

"Yes."

He nodded. "Then you know what I plan to do."

"Yes."

He sighed. "I take it there is no other way to take care of the Kyuubi?"

"....No, I'm afraid not."

He smiled faintly, as if finally accepting his own death for the greater good of the village. "Very well. Let's hurry." With that he increased his speed and lept up and onto a rooftop as they got closer to the gates, the heat, the Fourth and the teeterings of fate itself.

ooo

"Move it!" His black haired team mate's voice called out. Naruto grit his teeth and dodged the fist aimed at the back of his skull as he jumped up onto the roof. Sasuke was quick behind the enemy robed in black. Already his friend was making the hand signs for his fire attack. He called out the name, two fingers placed in front of his mouth as he sucked in air and blew.

But the man in front of him faded from sight, literally dissipating in a haze of lines and waves. It faded and Naruto felt the chakra signature next to him. Flipping back wards he preformed the shadow clone technique and had them attack in full force. But this guy was unstoppable. He thought Jiraiya was bad. Hell, even Minato had given him a run for his money. Kakashi-sensei was like fighting water. You just got more frustrated everytime you couldn't seem to get a good grasp of him. And just when you thought you understood where he was going, his tactics changed.

This guy? It was like he knew his every move before he made it. Sasuke's too. What the fuck? Trying to copy his techniques earlier hadn't worked for his partner.

Sasuke was keeping him busy just as his last clone died out. Taijutsu was the main thing used, as if each opponent was feeling out the other. At least it gave Naruto time to plan his next few attacks. All of this would be so much easier of they had an idea of who they were fighting. Anything. Something. Damn Eon and his bad memory.

Sasuke flipped backwards several times and landed gracefully on the front balls of his feet and the tips of his fingers in a purely animalistic position. His eyes narrowed and he stood up.

"You don't have time to hesitate, Revealer," the black clad man said as he ran towards him. His laugh was dark and unmistakeable.

Sasuke smirked as Stalker landed on his shoulder. He thought he had them, huh? Right. All he had to do was keep him busy for a bit longer. His eyes shifted to Naruto as he did a series of one handed signs. Nothing that would cause a jutsu, but, something he would understand. Just as he finished they went back to fighting when the enemy was right on top of him.

He dodged back, gritting his teeth at his speed. How could someone move that fast? One moment his fist was next to his thigh and the next it was right in front of his face, seconds away throwing him into a oblivion. If it weren't for the Sharingan he wouldn't see it at all.

He turned, dodging and knelt down, swiping his leg under him. But just as soon as his shin was going to meet with his calve there was nothing but air for resistance. And Sasuke was crying out as he was kicked in the back of spine, rolling along the concrete roof and hitting the edge. Pain shot through him and he shut his eyes tightly. It wasn't the first time the robed man had hit him, but this time it'd hurt so much more. Fuck.

He felt him closing him on his fallen form and quickly stood up. He reached out to punch him in the gut, he even fainted his movements, only to be stopped again, his wrist grabbed and a knee from his left side jammed into his abdomen. He coughed, air knocked out of his lungs as his eyes went wide. Moments later he was thrown across the roof. This time his back arched as he slammed into a small shed on the roof, the wall behind him half cracking under his impact. Before he even had the opportunity to fall he was right there, hand grasped about his neck, choking the life out of him.

Kami, he'd never felt this weak before. Not since his training as a Genin, not since the journey with Kakashi began. How could Eon have thought they were a match for this guy? Sasuke had thought he was a ninja at first. But he wasn't acting like it. Hell, no one could move that fast. Fast enough....

The robed being chuckled as he gazed upon Sasuke beneath the shadow of his hooding. "Pathetic... and this is who he sends to me? Two children playing men? And a little girl with at least sense enough to run?" His laugh grew louder. "You'll never be able to beat me, boy. Not with those simple moves. Perhaps another time, another place. Hell, maybe in a few hundred years. Maybe. But not as you are now."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he clenched his jaw, trying to keep from passing out.

"Although," he breathed deeply, "I must admit, you gave me a run of it. Too bad for you I'm only running a quarter of my abilities."

Sasuke refused to allow his shock to show. Instead the grip he had around the man's wrist tightened as he tried to figure out a way out of this. All he had to hope for was Naruto. He just had to keep him distracted. Sasuke chuckled back, the need to survive boosting his courage, his spirit. "Then why not just be done with me? Kill me?" His eyes narrowed further as he smirked again. "You see, you don't know what we're capable of. And that's why you hesitate."

Something seemed to flash in the being, but Sasuke couldn't be sure. Still, his slight growl told Sasuke he'd hit on something deep.

"I suppose they don't call you the Revealer for nothing. You're little bird tell you that, Uchiha? Heh... nevermind, I'm going to be done with this now. Better to kill you and get my job done with than playing around. After all, I have a history to change." His grip tightened and Sasuke coughed.

"Wait...!" He wheezed.

"Hm?" His grip only loosened slightly.

He coughed again, trying to take in as much air as possible without throwing up. "Why are you doing this?" Keep him distracted, his mind chanted.

"Why?" He mused, obviously interested in his question. "Why indeed...." His voice dipped low, as if his own mind were wandering to some past event. "Hn... You really want to know?" He chuckled now, his moods ever changing. Sasuke was beginning to think he was nuts. "Let's just say the future is laden with events that make my life hell. Someone wronged me and stole something from me when I was young. I'm going to take back what was mine, what I helped create. And in the end destroy it. Even if I die in this endeavor, it'll be worth it knowing the dreams of my enemy never came to be."

Sasuke blinked. "What does that ave to do with Leaf?"

"Everything, you fool!" He was starting to get mad now. However, mad was good in Sasuke's mind. Mad meant his emotions were on fire. Mad meant he wasn't paying attention. And mad meant Naruto and he could find a way to get the jump on him.

"You idiots live in such a perfectly peaceful environment. Leaf defies every shinobi law it was based on, created on, just by continuing to be here; by continuing to exist. We are tools of war and bloodshed!" He was growling, his grip loosening on Sasuke even as he spoke, utterly lost in his thoughts, his maddness. "It was my idea in the beginning. Mine. And it was stolen from me. All of it." What Sasuke thought might be his eyes, if he could see them, bore into his own Sharingan laden ones. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to do the right thing, to believe in it and do what you know to be the best by everyone, only to have it ripped from your chest; your grasp? Do you, boy?!" His grip tightened and Sasuke felt he was losing air again.

"No, I doubt it. None of you fools do. That's why I have to do what I've done. That's why I had to spend years figuring out how to extend my life and learn the secrets of forbidden jutsus; the secrets of time manipulation. So I could change things. All of it," his voice hissed. His grip tightened and he flung Sasuke to the ground, advancing on him slowly. "It doesn't matter anymore. Because I will change it, no matter how much you've screwed it up for me already. But first, I'll kill you. And then I'll take care of Sarutobi."

Sasuke backed up, his throat throbbing and his back aching in protest. He willed it away and ignored the pain as his feet dug into the flat surface of the roof. He wasn't afraid, but if Naruto--.

"What the?"

Sasuke smirked.

ooo

The infant was clutched tightly to his chest as he moved through the heated alleyways. No one followed him, he hoped. He didn't want anyone to. If anyone knew what he was planning they'd surely try to stop him. But he had to. He knew this. It was the only way to save the village, his home, from the monster on the verge of tearing down the gates.

And the fact that he would have to sacrifice his only son to do so wounded him more perilously than anything else. Tears pricked at the corners on his eyes and he shut them tightly a moment, willing it away.

_Kushina..._

He hadn't had the heart to tell her what he was doing. She was on the verge of her deathbed, too much blood lost. Rin was with her, trying to save her. He'd left before it got worse. He knew Rin was a good medic, one of the best aside from Sakura. The pink haired woman had taught her a lot. But, he just had a bad feeling there was no saving his wife. She was out of it when he left. Resigning himself to loosing his wife, he'd forced Jiraiya, who'd just come back to town hours ago for the birth, to promise to stay with her. The old man, his sensei, had no idea what he was doing. Maybe he did. He hadn't bothered to ask. Maybe he didn't want the confirmation that his student was going to die just like his wife-to-be.

He forced back a sob, running faster. He had to do this. He had to. There was no other choice. His son was going to grow up alone, but considered a hero. And that was what mattered to him the most. If he was going to be without himself and Kushina at the very least he would have that---his legacy.

As he reached the wall his signature teleportation jutsu was used to get to the other side. The child in his arms, his eyes unopened, cried out in what he could only assume was fear. He tried to ignore it as he ran past the burning brush and gained on the dominating, passionate, murderous chakra of the fox. He ignored the bodies littered around him, already gone too far for him to help. Life had left their bodies long before he'd set foot near their remains.

Feeling he was finally at a safe distance Minato laid down the basket on a stoney surface. His child was placed in it. Moments later candles were pulled out and set around him; all lit after a little fire jutsu. He exhaled slowly and took a few steps back. He bit his thumb and preformed the hand signs. His palm was slammed flat into the ground. It took only seconds more for the great toad Gama Oyabin to reveal himself in a puff of smoke.

The Fourth looked upward and smiled faintly. "Gama..."

"Hmm?" The great toad looked down at him with an arched brow. Then he sniffed the air. His lips became a flat line. "Minato... Why have you summoned me?"

He shook his head. "No time to explain." He knelt down low and then jumped up on the great toad boss' back. "I need you to help me keep the Kyuubi at bay while I preform the Death God jutsu."

His eyes widened and he turned, careful not to step on the infant before him as he faced the fox. "Is it so dire you must...."

"Yes, it is. Now, help me. You can grieve after I am gone, old man." His jaw set and he ignored the cries behind him. The cries of his child. "Ready your oil." He began to start the hand signs but someone grabbed his arm, gripping tightly to stop him. He turned, eyes widening at Sarutobi; the Third. "Sarutobi-sama..."

"Stop this maddness, Minato." His eyes narrowed. "You have a family to think about. A wife. A child."

Minato shook his head, his resolve set. "No, I must do this. Someone has to save the village from the Kyuubi." He tried to shake his hold off his arm to go back preforming the seals. But the old former Hokage held fast.

"No, you won't. I will."

He took pause, his eyes widening once more. He shook his head again. "No, you can't... you have a family, a grandson... my fiance is--."

"Alive, Minato. She is alive. Rin managed to stabilize her condition at the last moment. She almost lost her own life doing so, but it's done. Had she not been there I'm sure she would be dead."

Minato felt those tears welling back up. The news of his betrothed... love of his life... the woman he wished to spend the rest of his life with was ok... it was enough to make him second guess himself. He didn't know what to say. Not only did he have a son... but... oh god...

"I've lived my life, Hokage-sama. My wife is dead. My brothers and sisters long lost the last war. All I have left is my grandson and daughter. And he has his mother and father to ease the pain my death will bring him." He paused. "You are young. I will take your place."

"But..."

"No buts! Go now and keep and eye on your son while I do what is needed of me!" He finally released his arm, shoving him aside.

Minato gave him a final look as he lept off the back the toad and began to preform the hand signs to summon the death god. His eyes softened as the wind mixed with ash whipped his hair asunder. His smile was faint.

"He is a good man," the old toad whispered.

"You don't have to tell me that, Gama."

Gama made a sound that was distinctly like a laugh mixed with a grunt. "Come on, lets give him room." He moved in one small bound, placing himself behind the crying child surrounded by candles.

ooo

"What the hell?"

Sasuke smirked further as the cloaked man before him strained under the binds that held him in place. He actually chuckled as the blond appeared next to him with his fingers crossed in the jutsu. His evil grin was unmistakeable.

He could hear the disbelief in the robed man's voice mixed with anger. "What have you done to me?"

"What? You've never hear of Gravity Binding? Sure it takes a while to prepare... but you can see why it's worth it," the blond explained. "Don't bother trying to move, your organs just might burst under the pressure I've got centralized under you."

"Punks," he hissed painfully, trying to move once more. He cried out as Naruto increased the pressure.

"Ah, ah, ah, freak. One more attempt at that and I might reconsider letting you live a little longer. Now," he continued heatedly, "time for you to answer some questions. Who are you?"

"Fuck off," was his tight jawed response.

"You know what, nevermind. Sasuke," he almost ordered.

The ebony haired man chuckled, dusting himself off. "My pleasure, or should I say, Stalker's?" He looked above as the bird came down from flight, talons blazing as he reached for the hood of his cloak. As the hawk came soaring down, screeching wildly.... he missed.

"What the..." Naruto muttered as the ground shook, sending everything off balance.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he reached for his partner, trying to steady him. His eyes darted to the edges of the village as a tail whipped up and crashed down into another wall. "The Kyuubi... " His head whipped upward. "Stalker!" The hawk was already well on his way, gliding through the air with chakra laced in his wings, making his speed fast. Sasuke once more used the same jutsu from earlier. The same thing he'd used to find Sarutobi.

"Hold him, Naruto," he ordered, his eyes eyes closing. The lack of a response was enough for him as his animal nin kept a gaze on the land below. He was already there, watching as... yes... "My god..."

"What?" Naruto cried out. "What's going on?"

Sasuke smiled sadly and released the jutsu, ordering Stalker to come back. When his eyes opened he spoke. "He's doing it. Sakura completed her mission. The Kyuubi is resisting but it's too late."

Naruto smirked over at the cloaked figure. "Hear that, freak? You've failed. You're little plan isn't going to work after all."

"Hn.... for now."

Sasuke arched a brow. "Oh? What are you going to do? We've got you and you've no chance of moving. All we have to do is wait for this to be over. Then Eon will show up and cart your ass off to Kami knows where. Personally, I don't give a shit. As long as we get to go back home."

The man snickered, smirking beneath his hood. As he raised his head, a faint bit of red could be seen blazing in his... eyes? Were those his eyes? "That's what you think..." Both boys blinked and took a step back as a jolt of electricity shot through the dark swathed man. He began to laugh as Naruto's jutsu was broken. A series of hand signs were preformed.

"Fuck!" Sasuke muttered. How did he break out of that jutsu? Naruto have worked years on it. Was he toying with them?

He grit his teeth and did as series of his own hand signs as Stalker dove in behind him. Around his form a fluttering of wings came about his body; Stalker's wings as he dug his talons into his back. He could feel the change immediately and his body manipulated itself behind the cover of those expanded wings. It had been painful the first few times he'd tried to learn the splicing technique. He felt his whole body change, feathers sprouting and his muscles enlarge. His bones began to hallow out for added lightness. When his wings expanded back his entire form had taken on a larger version of Stalker. Two minds became one. He was like a great Demon Beast. It wasn' altogether unlike what Kiba could do with Akamaru. Accept, he didn't have two heads, thank god.

Flying upward and back he opened his beak, expelling a large blast of fire at the man breaking out of Naruto's jutsu. He integrally grinned at it hit true. Naruto even shouted jubilantly. No one could survive that kind of fanned attack. No one.

His victory was short lived though. And his eyes widened as the fire died down. The man was turning into a pile of goo.... just like Orochimaru had years ago during the Chuunin Exam. And this happened, he watched his lips move... everything else about his form unreadable.

"Until we meet again.... Trinity..."

After that? The liquid green and brown stuff splashed to a puddle. A clone... a fuckin' clone. How had he not seen it earlier? Or had he changed out at the last moment? If that were true he was long gone. And by now Sarutobi had to be done...

He swore out loud as his body changed back in a puff of smoke while he landed on the roof, Stalker taking his place back on his shoulder.

"What the hell are we suppose to do now damnit?!" Naruto cried out fiery anger.

Hell if he knew. All he could do was stare was the fires died down and the night settled in. Flesh and death was in the air. He could no longer feel the murderous rage of the Kyuubi. For that he was thankful. However... failing? Fuck.

How were they suppose to get home now?

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Time to answer some reviews!

**Trinnerti ::** XD That is my job. Suspense builder and all!

**Sora Rashkae ::** Tell me about it. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do in the time skip. -shrugs- I know I'm probably going to have one more appearance from Itachi before this whole this is over with.

**Mateba ::** Yeah, I liked doing that with Naruto and Sasuke as well. I've always thought of Sakura as the center of their balance, Sasuke as the tactician and Naruto as the rock. Each one plays an important part. And each one is strong in their own way.

You can't wait?! Neither can I!

**Ruhkoh ::** Thanks!

**OtakuAlways ::** Thanks! I will.

**InARealPickle ::** I read a story recently where Sakura made ANBU and ended up with Kakashi in the end. The went to the land of Moon or something. It was good. Some guy named Akai was trying to poison everyone. I can't remember the name but I think it's in my favorites.

**MoonlightShade ::** Minato and Naruto? It's probably inevitable, actually. Especially with 'him' being born and all now. Plus Jiraiya's in town. Thank you!

**AmongstTheLiving ::** Readers like you and everyone else keep me writing and aspiring to my original stuff to one day become a real author. Thank you.

I swear if I ever write a book one day I'll credit .

**--Blade**


	20. Chapter 20

**..Chapter Twenty..**

**..**

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**..**

The skies wept. Tears of dew dropped grief fell, caressed and expressed their sadness on the faces and ebony swathed forms of those in attendance. The memorial held so many not all could fit on the roof of the Hokage Tower. Many of them stood on the roofs of neighboring buildings. Those who were not shinobi stood on the ground, promising to pay their respects after the rest were gone.

Sakura was the first of her three man squad to be born in Konoha; March twenty-eighth at three am in the morning. Sasuke had been the second. And Naruto.... his birth came at an ultimate price; a great sacrifice on a month that would normally be celebrated with masks and festivities. October tenth would live in the hearts of Konoha shinobi and citizens alike for years afterward.

This time, and years afterward, it would not be the Yellow Flash they all paid respects to. No, it would be the man who once trained the Legendary Sannin, Sarutobi Hiruzen. The great Third Hokage. She'd mourned him once and she would mourn him again. After all, in the time they'd been here she'd grown close with him. Not terribly close, but close enough.

Her cool green orbs drifted over to the two, no three, people standing next to his picture on the small table. Behind them was the Hokage monument, his image right next to the Fourth's emblazoned there. It was amazing to think they'd managed to get Tsunade-shishou there in a matter of a few days. She looked so broken standing there. To her left was Jiraiya. It would probably be the only time in his life he wouldn't try to grope a woman while comforting her with a hand on her shoulder. To the other side of the memorial was Minato-sama. He wasn't crying. None of them were--yet. But he was a strong man, like any good shinobi. And he was one of the best.

She smiled faintly as the tears from the sky drizzled down all of their bodies. No, she was wrong. If they were crying no one would know. Mother nature appeared to take pity on the mass of weakened men and woman by hiding their tears with her own. Had it rained like this when Namikaze-sama had once been in Sarutobi-sama's place? Had there been this many people? So many the village was busting at the seams with the overload of grieving bodies?

She closed her eyes and allowed her head to tilt downward as Minato began to speak.

"Today we say goodbye to a man far greater than myself," he began softly, his voice echoing on the microphone attached to the lapel of his black robing. His smile was faint, his eyes shone with pain. "Sarutobi Hiruzen was a man any one of us could aspire to becoming. His sacrifice was the greatest any shinobi could ever hope to make. His death was an honorable one. He died by his own choice. It was a choice that saved us all. A choice that will never be forgotten..." His voice trailed off as if he were not only trying to find words, but trying to find the will to speak. He was trying to smile again. And the tear gliding down his face would have gone unnoticed by most. But not those who knew him. Not Sakura.

What a strong man he was, she thought. How could he not be Naruto's father?

"He saved my life. It was suppose to be me, you know." He chuckled bitterly and everyone felt it. Even those who could not see his face in the audience below. "I owe this man so much. We... we all do...." His eyes closed a moment. "We've lost so many to war, to bloodshed, to grief. Even now, two years later, the people of our village are still feeling the loss of those brave men and women two years ago... years still after that. Each one of us knows that sense of mortality in our own committed career. We memorize it every morning when we wake up and say a silent prayer in regards to it every night we tuck our children in to sleep." His jaw clenched. "I know, one day, my own son will be the one I worry about when he goes off on his first C-ranked mission." His eyes gazed across the crowd. "And I thank Kami each and every moment I'll still be here to see him grow into a young man. I just hope..." he continued softly, "that he turns out to be half the man the Third was. That all of our children do in the years to come; that his death is one we will never lose sight of." He paused a moment, eyes turning towards the bundle cradled in his arms. "Today.... we say farewell... to a hero...."

It was then, no one, not even Sakura, could blame the Great Yellow Flash of Konoha for finally crying.

ooo

The rain did not cease. It just continued on for hours after the funeral. Even after people left their flowers overflowing the image of the Third on the small table it still grieved downward. Long after the crowds left, long after the Sannin went off on their own, long after Sakura found herself on the roof by herself still staring at the image of the old Hokage. It felt like Deja vu. Accept, this time the year was different. This time she didn't have Ino around to comfort her. This time it wasn't at the abrupt end of the Chuunin Exams. And this time the death of the Hokage had nothing to do with Orochimaru and his quest for powerful jutsus or more people to use.

Her eyes closed softly as she wrapped her arms about her waist.

In the short two years she'd been here she'd accomplished a lot. More than she ever imagined she would. And now, at the false age of fifteen she felt more like a woman than she ever had in that age in her own time. She was.... almost happy they might not be going home just yet. She didn't understand it herself... but she felt like there were too many loose strings that had yet to be tied.

Her eyes slowly opened to gaze at the image one more time; a soft wind picking up. It sent shivers down her wet form and tussled her wet strands nearly plastered to her face. She knew that comforting hand the moment it was placed on her shoulder.

"Sakura..."

Her eyes closed once more as she turned to face Kakashi. He was so young. And he looked younger still with that mess of silver stuck to the side of his face; hanging over his covered eye. She so wanted to reach out and brush those strands aside. However, she'd made a promise to herself. A choice as to what she would do in regards to Kakashi if on the off chance this whole thing failed and they ended up here longer than she expected.

"We.... we need to talk," she admitted.

He nodded, and she tried to ignore the pained and hopeful look in his one good, visible eye.

"About the night with the Kyuubi... when you kissed me... I..." she began softly. No, she wanted to curse herself. She had to be strong for this. If she wasn't he would see right through her. He would see right through her and all of this would backfire on her. And then who knew what he might do. She had to be convincing. However, whatever she thought, was not what he did at all.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, hands dug into his pockets.

She blinked. "Huh?"

He smiled like he always did in her time; silly little eye crease and hidden lips upturned behind the mask of blue. "I was caught up in the moment. I thought... I don't know why." He scratched the back of his head with a sigh. "I'm not good with emotions. You know that. You've been through enough bad situations with me in the last two years to get it, right?" He chuckled and she could have sworn it was bitter. No, her mind was playing tricks on her. This was Kakashi. But it wasn't the Kakashi she assumed had fallen in love with her.... no... it was all too much like the man who would one day be her sensei.

"I did it because people were dying. I was afraid I'd lose you that night. And... well... fear makes you do stupid things, right?"

"Right..." she echoed.

His good eye held her gaze, as if searching. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "You're my team mate, Sakura. My best friend next to Obito. And in many ways I'm closer with you than I could ever be with him. I don't want anything to ruin that... even something as silly as..."

"A relationship," she finished for him.

He nodded, slowly releasing her. "I admire you, Sakura." He smiled again, this time more seriously. "I don't think I could have picked a better shinobi to have my back in ANBU." He paused, looking away and into the distance. "Some of us are not as lucky as Obito and Rin, you know?"

There was something in his voice she couldn't place... regret?

"A relationship like theirs has ruined many a good team," he said a little too softly. But before she could think on it more he was giving her that eye creased smile. "Friends?" He offered her a hand.

It took her a moment of blinking stupidity before she shook her head and smiled brilliantly at him. But she didn't reach for his hand. No, instead, she lept into his arms, hugging him for all it was worth. She felt his arms wrap about her waist and not once thought of reprimanding him when his face moved to hide in the curve of her neck.

She closed her eyes, relishing the feel of him as she always did; the strength of his toned form, the rigidity of his body under hers. And her insides cried out in anguish for her lies. It was good he didn't love her, she lied to herself. Because she was sure if he'd blurted out a confession moments ago she would have lost her resolve. Even if.... even if he became the Kakashi she once knew... it was better this way. Yes... far better.

When he pulled away from her it took everything in his to school away the blush he never managed to control around her. He smiled once more as she took a step back. The warmth she left on his soaking body would be memorized for a lifetime to come. And she would never know it.

"I'm going to head out. Sasuke and Naruto are expecting me at Yin's."

He arched a brow, glad for the subject change. "Yin's?" He smirked. "You're still a year under the legal age, Sakura."

She snorted, also glad for the subject change. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I still can't have a good time with my friends. They do serve more than alcohol there. Although," she chuckled, "if Ichiraku's didn't deliver to the bar I don't think Naruto would go at all."

He chuckled as well as she started to walk away. He watched as she paused.

"Aren't you coming?"

He nodded. "After a bit.... I still need to pay my own person respects..."

Sakura smiled softly, nodding in understanding as she made her way to the stairs leading down. "I'll see you tonight then." A moment later she was gone. A moment later he exhaled.

"You idiot!"

ooo

It was when nightfall began to finally edge in that the rain stopped, drizzling out of sight as the clouds parted and the fading sun began to fall on the horizon line. Three people moved through the fading crowds of Konoha. Like any other night they were all on their way home to loved ones.

"Are you sure?" The tall white haired male asked next to his former student.

The blond smiled as he pushed the wheelchair in front of him. His wife turned her head upward and to the left, grinning at his softened features. His blues eyes gazed lovingly at the tiny form nestled in her arms. He was sleeping right now, his own blue eyes closed as he cooed gently.

"Of course I am. It's a finer name than any other. Still, I do have one question..." Minato edged as he turned his eyes forward on the darkening dirt road.

"Oh?" The white haired Sannin arched a brow, lips parting in curiosity.

He nodded, eyes narrowing. "Wherever did you get it from?" He looked over at him once more.

Kushina nodded as she brushed several strands of blond from her baby's face away. "It _is_ curious. Especially considering your character shares that name with a young man in this village."

Jiraiya blinked. "Really?"

"You had no idea?" Minato asked, blinking as well.

"None at all." His face continued to show a hint of a thousand questions to come. "Who is he?"

"Daisuke Naruto. He's a student of mine. Has been for a long time. He came here a few years ago with his team mates Kaioh Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke just after the Third war ended." He smirked slightly. "He's quite talented."

"Must be if you speak so highly of him." His placed his hands behind his back, interlacing his fingers as he moved on with his three man group.

"He's a fine boy," Kushina offered with a impish grin.

Minato snorted. "You only say as much because he shares your love of ramen."

She pouted and then scowled. "It's a good thing too. You're never around when I want to enjoy the stuff with someone."

He visibly winced. "That's because after a month of eating the stuff any man would get sick of it."

"Not Naruto," she muttered back.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Love, like you, the boy is a great exception to the preferences of the human race. Anyone who can master a technique like Rasengan by merely watching is a genius in my book."

She finally laughed at him, her hand moving to hide the mirth that escaped her mouth. "True. Good thing huh? Were it not for him you would have never perfected the technique."

"Me? He beat me to the punch," he replied admiringly.

"You perfected it?" Jiraiya spoke up, utterly intrigued.

Minato shook his head. "Not I. That boy. Naruto. Actually, now that you're here, I can tell you. He said during the war he happened to see you preform the technique from a distance. I almost didn't believe him when he told me he used that one time as a template for mimicking the jutsu and perfecting it."

Jiraiya was now more perplexed than ever. Of course he'd used the Rasengan during the Third War. It was an amazing thing to think a boy could copy something like that. Especially if he wasn't an Uchiha with the Sharingan already fully developed.

"I wonder why he never came up and asked me about it," Jiraiya allowed his own thoughts to verbalize themselves.

Minato shrugged. "You know how that war was. Maybe he was caught up in enemy fire? Does it matter?"

"I guess not... where did they come from? His team?"

"No one knows," Kushina allowed as she gave all her attention to her new baby. "Their parents were on a top secret mission for years ordered by the Third. It wasn't until after the war ended they returned." She smiled softly as the baby opened his eyes, bright blue shinning through. Would they always be like that? Babies eyes were often blue when they were born, only changing days later.

"All their files were sealed and destroyed about that by the Third after his death. It was one of the specifics of his will," she continued. She looked up at Jiraiya. "They're good kids despite the secrecy woven around the last thirteen years of their lives." She paused, frowning, emotional as ever. "I know there's something painful in their past... but it's hard to say. Especially with that Naruto boy." Her smile was faint. "I'm sure the coincidence is odd, but I think it's fitting our son will bear his name."

Minato smiled as well. "Especially when the boy is practically my first born already?"

Kushina laughed. "Yes, especially considering that. Too bad he's almost too old to adopt as our own, hm?"

Jiraiya chuckled at that. "I'll require an introduction now."

"Certainly," Minato replied. "He should be at Yin's now. We're headed there just as soon as we drop my son off with the sitter."

"I'll meet you there then?" He asked, heading off towards the bar as he walked backwards.

"Sure," Minato said as he waved a goodbye.

Kushina chuckled and waved as well. "Try not to scare all the woman away, Ero-Sannin!"

Jiraiya bristled. "You're cruel, Namikaze-sama."

All she did was laugh as he moved on down in the direction of the bar.

ooo

"You idiot!" Obito cried, leaping over the railing of the Hokage tower before making it way to Kakashi. His hands were placed on his hips as he scowled at him, his one good eye fierce. "_Why_ didn't you tell her?"

Kakashi sighed, hands deftly shoved into his pockets as his body slouched slightly. "She doesn't feel the same way, Obito. It's not like you and Rin. I don't want to ruin a perfectly good friendship by burdening her with my emotions."

Obit grumbled. "How do you know she doesn't feel the same way? I've told you before. So had Rin. Haven't you--."

"Seen the way she looks at me?" He shrugged. "Of course I have. I'm not blind. But let's look at this logically. Sakura is a whole year older than me. It's obvious by the way she acts and the things she hides from all of us accept her team, I'm sure, that's she's not like regular shinobi."

Obito grunted. "Of course not. Regular shinobi don't make ANBU. They die trying."

Kakashi nodded. "It's not just that though. She's got some ghosts in her past."

"So? Don't we all?"

"Yeah, but..."

Obito rolled his eyes at his friend's stupid sense of denial. "But what? Isn't that why we got close to the ones we love? Isn't that why we take risks? Put out hearts on the line?"

Kakashi raked a hand through his wet silver strands. "Yes, of course. However--."

"What? Don't tell me you're going to make another excuse," he argued while narrowing his one good eye.

"No, of course not. Listen," he began, leveling with him as he held Obito's gaze. "I love Sakura in a way I never imagined. In fact, I didn't imagine much after the death of my father. A much less after I thought you were gone."

"Kakashi..."

"No, let me finish. You always interrupt me and I lose my train of thought. So, let me finish." He sighed. "I've lost a lot of friends over the years. But not the ones that counted. And I get that life is short. I understand that. However, Sakura is important to me. She's not.... she's special, ok? And even if she does love me? She's not ready. I'm willing to wait until she is. Whether it's a few weeks.... or a few years."

Obit frowned. He knew Kakashi was patient. Well, at least he'd learned to be while in ANBU. He wasn't sure if he would have said the same for him years ago while on that mission with Minato-sensei... "Are you sure?" He frowned. "What if she dies tomorrow, Kakashi? What if you never get the chance to tell her because we all know you're slower than hell when it comes to choices?"

Kakashi frowned. "I have good reason for being that way...."

Obito shook his head. "Still, you have to realize it's true. What if you die? What--."

"Then it's a chance I'll have to take. For her sake." His resolve was set. "One day I'll tell her, Obito. One day when I'm sure she'll have me. When I'm sure both of us are ready for what that level of commitment will mean."

Obito blinked. "You plan on marrying her don't you?"

Kakashi smirked slightly.

"Damn, you are serious." A smile suddenly broke out on his face and he laughed, patting him on the back heartily. "Fuck, man, don't wait too long. Or you'll be a virgin forever." He snickered as Kakashi stared at him with one wide eye. Somehow he knew a blush was hiding under there. "What? Oh, please, we all know you'd never cheat on her even if you're still not an item, Kakashi. And I know for damn sure you were too busy with missions when we were kids to even think about such stuff. I'm just stating logic here."

Kakashi grunted as they both moved towards the stairs. "You don't have to be so vocal about it."

"No," he grinned, "I don't. But it's fun watching you squirm."

Kakashi rolled his eyes and followed his friend as they made their way down. He wasn't telling him the entire truth, of course. It was just the way Sakura had looked at him. Like she was going to reject him. Kakashi had taken that chance the night on the wall. And she had kissed him back. He knew enough based on that moment and all the times before that she cared about him, that she might even desire him. He wasn't stupid and he wasn't blind. There were times when he caught her blushing because of something he'd done just as he did so in regards to her.

But... he also knew her well enough to know when she was going to say something he didn't want to hear. It was in her body language, her voice. They both knew each other like an open book. ANBU and years together did that to two people. ANBU almost allowed for no team to have secrets. But... somehow... Sakura had managed to keep hers.

He had almost been positive she wanted something more with him. He'd been convinced the night the jumped off the wall and ran to help out in the village because of the Kyuubi attack. The look on her face, the way she moved against him, it all told him she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Yet.... what was holding her back? Did she love him? Did she love someone else? No, he didn't think so... He'd bet money on it he was so sure. And Kakashi never gambled.

Still... whatever kept her from... giving in... he would have to wait. He would even lie to her, something they both swore never to do to one another, just to make sure her happiness was preserved. And even if it took another two years for her to be ready--as much time as it had taken him to be sure about how he felt about her--he would wait.

She was worth it.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Bwahahahaha! Questions to answer! Oh, and by the way, last chapter I said I'd credit fanfiction(dot)net. -.- They bleeped out my url. I forgot about that. On to questions/comments!

**DarkChocol8807 ::** It's ok, I'm usually confused on a regular basis. Let's get lost together! Anyway, randomness aside, let me answer your question. They can't exactly return home yet, as Eon will elaborate on later, because the 'Enemy' hasn't been captured yet. As he is still a high risk factor to time their mission is incomplete. But, have no fear, this whole song and dance will wrap up shortly. I promised a happy ending, right?" -snickers-

**OtakuAlways ::** You'll find out!

**Trinnerti ::** Thanks, hun!

To everyone else who read/reviwed/other stuff, Thanks!

**--Blade**


	21. Chapter 21

**..Chapter Twenty-One..**

**..**

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**..**

The white of her sake glass was held carelessly between her perfectly manicured digits. It was full to the rim, nearly overflowing as she paused before bringing it the rest of the way to her lips. She could feel her young apprentice wringing her hands out next to her. She wanted to roll her eyes at the eighteen year-old girl's sense of practicality. Would it kill _her_ to get drunk now and then? It would certainly alleviate the stress she brought the older Sannin on a regular basis. She resisted the urge to rub the bridge of her nose and instead downed her drink in one quick shot.

The small glass was set down on the bar with a resounding pound, signaling to the bar keep she wanted another hit. Wasn't that what every drunkard trying to will away their painful memories did in order to signal the need for another shot? Wasn't it a universal sign? Or, was it just her?

She almost chuckled bitterly at her own sense of humor. Did she really care? Was there much to care about after the death of your brother and betrothed? Pitiful fools she'd stupidly thought would one day make Hokage. Stupid, hopeful, dream filled, wretched fools she'd loved with all her heart. The small glass nearly cracked under her grip.

She didn't care. It's not like the small little glass would be missed; even in a well known place such as Yin's. Although, she would admit it didn't deserve her spite.

No, it didn't. And now to add more worse for wear to her sad existence, another man she cared about died who once carried the title Hokage. Another stupid dreamer who gave everything he had for his village. Fool. That's what he her old sensei was; dying for a cause. That's what they all did, right? All the foolish men in her life. All the idiots who ever aspired to the title Hokage.

She watched as the bar tender poured her another glass. This time, the smart man left the bottle. She resisted the urge to smile ruefully and merely waved in some half attempt at a thank you. The next drink was sipped carefully. No need to overdo it, huh? It's not like she was celebrating or anything, right? And she sure as hell wasn't playing the mournful student. Sarutobi wouldn't want that.

No, she mused painfully. The old man would have wanted her to smile tonight. To find a way to get over her damned fear, grow up, and take over the hospital like he wished of her... like he'd written down in his will and testament. It wasn't like he was leaving the damned building to her. No one could own it. It was Konoha's. However, it had been his final request that she someday return home and take her rightful place as director.

She took another sip, ignoring the white maned shinobi who sat down next to her. Damned pervert. She almost snorted. But all she did instead, was say, "If you've come to comment on my flat chest just go the fuck away, Toad."

Jiraiya arched a tentative brow and let out a low whistle. "Spiteful are we, Slug-hime?"

A nerve above her eyebrow twitched and her eyes half shut. "Only in regards to you, old man."

He snorted, resting his forearms on the bar. "No older than you, beautiful." He waved the bar tender over and asked for what Tsunade was having.

She blinked at him a moment. Beautiful? Her eyes suddenly narrowed in paranoia. "If this is some stupid, half baked attempt to get in my pants tonight--."

Jiraiya's laughter interrupted her and she stared blankly at him, feeling slightly off kilter. "Slug-hime," she chortled, "love," he corrected as he smiled at her, filled with mirth, "if I was trying to get in your pants, believe me, you'd know it."

"Hn," she muttered, sipping at her drink again. Her eyes half searched for Shizune, wondering just what had seemed so much more important at that moment which for once didn't include her in her apprentices worries.

"She's fine, Slug-hime. I introduced her to a young Jounin named Genma." He smirked. "Other than an odd fascination for senbon, he's a good kid."

She shrugged. "At least she's off my back for a few moments."

Jiraiya resisted the urge to sigh and took a sip not from the small cup in front of him, but the small white bottle instead. Why waste his time pouring the stuff into a cup when he'd be filling it every minute or so? Didn't make much sense to the Sannin; not in the least.

"Why are you bothering me, Jiraiya? Is it so much to ask for a woman to have a few quiet moments to herself?" She was trying to level with him now. After all, this was Jiraiya, her partner. If anyone could see past her bitchy guise it'd be him.

He arched a brow at her, beginning to reply with a smart remark, but paused as he locked his eyes with her. He noted, for the first time in a while, Tsunade was being honest with him. The pain in her amber eyes was evident. He sighed, giving into the urge he had earlier. His smile was faint. "No lady, even one was grouchy, domineering and obstinate as you, Tsunade-hime, should ever be left to herself at a bar... wallowing in her own regrets. It doesn't suit you. And it disgraces the men who came before you."

She paused at his heart-felt confession and turned back to her drink. She felt her lower lip quiver and closed her eyes tightly. She refused to break down here; and especially in front of him. "Things like that are better left in your books, Toad," her voice was soft, a little accusatory and a little defensive. She took another sip of her drink.

He smiled sadly and took a sip of his own drink. "Perhaps..."

"Sasuke, you're such a bastard!" Laughter was heard from the same voice that called out that accusation and insult.

Both Sannin turned to see what the commotion was about. There, across the room, were two young men. One was on his fourth bowl of ramen while the other sat lazily next to him, a hawk on his shoulder. The ebony haired male looked bored and slightly amused all at once at the antics of his comrade.

The other, the blond, was grinning like a fool as his friend replied. "You know, you keep this shit up and you'll never make Hokage, dropout." He snickered slightly.

The 'dropout' in question snorted as he pointed his chopsticks at Sasuke like a weapon. "Like I said, you're nothing but a bastard. Some best friend. Of course I'll be Hokage one day."

"Hn... you've said it enough to be a broken record, Naruto."

Jiraiya blinked and touched two fingers to his lips. So, this was the boy the Fourth was going on about? His eyes narrowed slightly. Minato had failed to tell him the boy looked so much like him. It was like staring at his student from years ago. How was that possible? Sure, he figured the kid might have a serious case of Minato envy... but this? No, he was sure that wasn't a dye job in his hair. And he doubted it was anything but natural...

His thoughts were so caught up in a haze he hardly noticed Tsunade stand up and walk across the room to the two boys at the table. _Shit_, his mind scrambled as he hurried to stand. But he knew he'd be too late. He only hoped Minato's young student was good with words, otherwise this whole this might turn into a mess.

She didn't exactly understand what made her stand up and walk across the room. But, there was just something about the way the blond had said it. The boy named Naruto who proclaimed, without reservation, that he would one day be Hokage.

Her lips twitched and her hands found their way to her hips as she glowered down at the boy. "Hasn't anyone ever told you only fools aspire to the the title Hokage?"

Naruto blinked and turned his gaze over to the older woman. He nearly fell out of his chair. Granny! Shit! He willed away his sense of shock that she'd approached him. Aw damnit, he said to himself, a weird sense of deja vu coming over his body. Hadn't they done this song and dance once before?

"Well?" She prompted.

His eyes narrowed slightly. She actually expected him to respond? To something like that?

"Tsunade," Jiraiya spoke as he came up next to her. "Leave the boy alone. He doesn't--."

"Shut up, Toad," she snapped and kept her eyes on Naruto. "I asked the kid a question."

Naruto snorted and stood, chair dragging behind him as he faced her. "Do you take some sick pleasure if trying to squash people's hope, Granny?"

Jiraiya wasn't sure if she should laugh at his response or prepare to hold Tsunade back for the onslaught that was sure to come in her wake at his reply.

"What... what did you say, brat?!" The blond yelled at him.

Naruto's eyes narrowed a fraction as his arms crossed over his chest. "You heard me, _Granny_. Everyone knows about you, what you lost during the war, and your... fear. Out of respect for the Sannin and what they represent to Konoha I'll not go into the details... although... just because you lost someone doesn't mean everyone else has to see your stupid sense of logic." He paused. "Being Hokage will always be my dream. And if I die one day under that title? If I'm privileged enough to achieve it? To be recognized for my duties? Well, it's better than rotting in some hole somewhere, drunk as a skunk with nothing but my own weaknesses to sooth my pain."

She stared at him, not entirely sure what to say. Part of her wanted to hurt him for his insolence and lack or respect. Really, she did. What kind of fool was he? Why had she come over her to approach him in the first place? "You're more of an idiot than I thought," she muttered. "Rude, disrespectful--."

"Me?" He cried out. "I'm disrespectful?!" He reached out, nearly poking her in the chest as he pointed at her. "You were once one of the greatest heroes to ever live in Konoha. Hell, people around her still whisper your name like some holy mantra. And look at you?" He spat. "You're no golden god, no hero. Just some washed up old woman who's let the horrors of her life get the better of her."

"How dare you," she whispered painfully. "You know nothing about me."

"Funny," Naruto muttered, "I could say the same in regards to you." At her shocked expression he continued. "You're so much better than this, Granny." His eyes softened, no longer narrowing as he almost looked past her. "They wouldn't want to see you this way... Either of them." His eyes locked with hers. "I might be a fool. They might have been fools. But they were fools who you believed in. And they died with your faith consoling them. It's not a disgraceful way to go." He paused, reaching out and placed a hand on her shoulder, half expecting her to stop him. He smiled at her, grinned even, almost childishly, as if he'd known her for ages. "I promise you I'll do it one day. And then, you'll see, I'll get that recognition I want. It's a promise..." Before he gave her a chance to reply he was sitting back down, reaching for another steaming bowl of ramen.

Sasuke just sighed, shaking his head as he scratched Stalker's neck. His partner could be such a drama queen.

Tsunade said nothing more. Instead she walked back to the bar, grabbed her bottle of sake as she slammed down a wad of bills. With another huff and a muttering about 'fools' she was left the bar.

Jiraiya sighed and shook his head as he wiped down his face with one bare hand. "I know she can be a handful... but... did you really have to go and push her buttons, boy?"

Naruto shrugged. "I didn't start it, Ero-Sannin."

Jiraiya blinked at the familiar term. Perhaps Kushina was rubbing off on the boy... he didn't know him well enough to say otherwise. "Mind if I sit down?"

"Sure," Sasuke offered, "We're just waiting for Sakura."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed slightly on the ebony haired boy. "You're the Uchiha. Sasuke, right?"

He half chuckled. "Last time I checked."

Jiraiya nodded and turned to the blond. "And your Naruto, right?"

The boy nodded between bites and took a sip of his cold drink to down the noddles. "Yup..."

He nodded. "Minato told me about you."

Naruto smiled. "Sensei is a great man..." his voice was full of awe.

Jiraiya nodded again. His bottle of formally forgotten sake was placed in front of him and he thanked the waitress, not even bothering to take a shot at her. No, for once he was more concerned with something besides women. "I was told you perfected the Rasengan."

Naruto blushed slightly. "I did..."

Jiraiya chuckled. "No need to be shy, boy. Can't you take a compliment?"

"Not often..."

"Hm... well... " He shrugged, deciding to change the subject. "You know you share a name with one of the characters in my first book?"

Naruto blinked, slurping the last of his bite into his mouth. "No... I didn't."

"Yes, well, it is rather amusing, considering Minato decided to name his boy after that same character." Jiraiya blinked as Naruto dropped his chopsticks and an expression of disbelief came over his features. "Are you alright?"

"W....What did you say?"

He blinked again. "I said it was amusing, considering Minato named his boy Naruto because of my book... " His eyes narrowed in concern. He barely noticed any reaction in Sasuke. But if anything the other boy seemed to tense up at the information.

Naruto swallowed, feeling his chest expand. Suddenly he couldn't breath. Everything was closing in around him. He shakily stood up and leaned forward, hands on the table to steady himself as the information assailed him.

Jiraiya moved to stand as well. "Naruto?" He watched in a flash as the boy stepped back, turning swiftly and headed for the bathroom door.

"Fuck," Sasuke grunted, standing and followed after his best friend. That old Toad just had to blurt out what he'd been trying to hide for two years from Naruto. What were he and Sakura suppose to do now? The blond numskull wasn't like them. He never dealt with his own emotions the same way. Sasuke never knew what to expect from him at times like these.

ooo

Sakura barely managed to avoid a pissed off Tsunade as she stomped out the door and off into the night. What the hell had that been about? Her green eyes trailed after her, curious. While she was use to her shishou's temper... well, this reminded her all to well of those drunken nights they shared together, musing over their regrets. The look on her face had clearly been one of pain. Had she spied tears...? Damn... Her eyes darted to the bar door. They narrowed as her good intentions nagged at her. Her friends were waiting...

She sighed and turned around, going after her future teacher. Why did she have to feel like she owed her so much? Damn her guilty conscious. She really wanted to try that new strawberry drink Yin's had boasted a month ago. Sure it was nonalcoholic... but she wasn't going to complain. One more year and she'd be back to enjoying he moments of weakness at the bar. In the meantime? Back to playing lonely psychiatrist to a woman who had no idea what she'd be to her in the years to come.

"Tsunade-sama!" She cried out to her retreating back. She nearly grit her teeth as the woman increased her pace, obviously ignoring her. "Tsunade-sama!" She began to jog, slowly catching up to her. She almost ran into her again as the woman turned around, bearing down on her with a growl.

"Damnit, Shizune, I don't---Oh..." She blinked at the young pink haired female, not entirely sure what to say to her. Anger made her respond though, her face a wash of spite. "What do you want, chit?"

Sakura blinked at her. However, after momentary shock wore off, she too took on the tone and body language of a formidable woman wronged. "Nothing really. You bumped into me back there and..."

"And what? You wanted to try and get an apology out of me?" She snorted. "You're about as naive at that Naruto boy."

Sakura's eyes narrowed, hands on her hips. "No! God, do you have any idea how much of a jerk you are? And, hey, that's my team mate your talking about! I know he can be a little abrasive and... annoying... but Naruto isn't naive..." she ended it with a mutter.

Tsunade rolled her eyes and turned, walking onward. "Whatever. I don't have time for you."

Sakura snorted, following her. "No, but you seem to have plenty of time for that bottle under your arm."

"Is everyone on your team this annoying and nosy? Jiraiya's bad enough. Kami knows he's been trying for years to get me to quit drinking and come back home..." She shook her head. "I'm a grown woman," she muttered, talking more so to herself, "if I want to throw my life away on gambling and drinking it's my damned business..."

Sakura chuckled despite herself.

Tsunade eyed her out of the corner of her eye. "What's so funny?" she snapped.

Sakura shook her head. "Nothing... you just..."

"Just what? Out with it, girl," she griped impatiently.

Sakura smiled and tucked her hands behind her back as she fell in pace with her shishou. "You could say you remind me of someone I know..."

"Hm..." was her only reply as they walked on in silence. There was something about the girl's presence she didn't entirely mind. "I should tell you to go home," she muttered.

"Oh?" Sakura arched a brow at her.

"Yeah..." she sighed. "But what do you say to have a few drinks with me instead?"

Sakura smirked, knowing full well she could still drink her teacher under the table, even in this body. "You are aware I'm still a year under the drinking age?"

"Formalities," Tsunade responded with and idle wave of her hand. "I hate drinking alone anyway. It's depressing."

Sakura half smiled, a twinkle in her eye. "Then I can't refuse." She resisted the urge to swat away the older woman's hand from ruffling her hair.

"That's a girl. Come on, we'll go to my place. That way when we pass out at least there's a bed close by." She placed her arm over the girl's shoulders. "What's your name anyway?"

"Sakura. Kaioh Sakura."

"Well, Sakura, I'd say this is the beginning of a interesting friendship," her words slurred as she popped the cork on the bottle of sake and took a long drink.

"I couldn't agree more, Tsunade-sama," her voice echoed softly with a knowing smile.

ooo

A few hours later, a heartfelt conversation, plus one passed out Sannin and Sakura was leaving her hotel room. She sighed as she locked the door behind her, closing it with a click. If she hadn't been assured Shizune had a key she would have left it unlocked, as unsafe as that was. But really, who was going to rob Tsunade, risking her violent temper?

She began to take the short staircase down to the street and exited the the hotel property. She was so caught up in her thoughts she nearly jumped as Sasuke appeared in front of her. Her hand flew to her chest as she gasped. Then she scowled. "Kami, Sasuke! Don't scare me like that!"

"We've got a problem," he muttered seriously.

"How so?"

"Naruto found out about Minato."

"You mean..."

"Yeah."

"Shit."

"My sentiments exactly."

She sighed and ran a hand through her short strands. "How did he take it?"

Sasuke sighed as well, turning to fall in step with her as they walked along the barely lit road. "As well as anyone can finding out their father is the Fourth Hokage. I mean... I calmed him down and took him home. After everything settled in... he was happy."

"That's good," she admitted.

He nodded. "He's still worried though. Like we all are."

"About losing him to the fight with..." The name went unspoken between the two of them and she sighed again. "I wish we could go home soon. When is Eon going to show up again? Either we have another mission or we don't."

"Yeah, I know. But, don't we need to take out Mr. Mysterious?" He dug his hands into his pants pockets.

She grunted. "It would so help if we knew who he was." She hazarded a glance over at him. "Did you guys get any clues about it while fighting him?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I told you everything I could remember. He acts like he had a vendetta against Konoha... I mean, that could be any number of people."

"True," she agreed as she touched her fingers to her lips. This was so unfair. How were they suppose to keep fighting an enemy they didn't know or understand?

"Where were you anyway? We waited hours for you to come back. Even Minato was a tad worried after I took Naruto home and came back," he admitted softly.

"Ah..." she sighed. "Well, I had a nice long chat with Tsunade-shishou."

He visibly winced. "Yeah... Naruto kinda pissed her off. Although, I can't really blame him. She just kept going on about fools and the title Hokage like he was idiot for wanting it. Frankly, I didn't get it at all. And I didn't bother asking Naruto about it later."

"Well," she sighed, tucking her own hands into her skirt pockets as she spoke, "it's no real surprise you don't. Hell, I wouldn't even get it myself if I hadn't spent so much time with her." She kept her gaze ahead as her mind drifted back. "You see, Tsunade lost a lot in this war. Just like Kakashi would have if it weren't for us." She paused as they rounded a corner. "You know that necklace Naruto wears?"

"The blue one made of crystal?"

She nodded.

"I never really thought much about it." He shrugged. "Then again I never really asked him about it. But, now that you mention it, he does always seem to be wearing it. And since coming here he's pretty much hidden it from sight."

She nodded. "That's because it was given to him by Tsunade. You see," she continued, her voice soft, "it once belonged to her grandfather, the first Hokage. It was passed down to her. Her brother, Nawaki was a lot like Naruto." She smiled softly, her gaze drifting downward. "He wanted to become Hokage too. So, Tsunade placed all her hopes and dreams in her younger brother and gave him the necklace, one day believing it would give him the power to accomplish his dream."

"And?"

"And he died," she said with a sigh and a slump of her shoulders. "She was heartbroken. The necklace found it's way back into her possession. Then, not too long after, while Tsunade was trying to convince the Third to train more medical nin for the field because of her brother's death, she met Dan. He agreed with her, having lost his younger sister to the war as well."

"Don't tell me..." he trailed off, not liking where this story was going.

"Well, you see, Dan felt so strongly about Tsunade's ideals for medical nin he too wanted to become Hokage. And he told her so. They fell in love not long after... and as you can imagine, Tsunade once more gave away her necklace, placing all her hopes and dreams in her hands of her lover." She hated that sad feeling that crept over her each time she relived the story of her teacher. But, Sasuke needed to know. "Not long after Dan died too. But this time, unlike with her brother, she was there to witness it." Her jaw clenched. "She told me there was so much blood. And she tried, for minutes after his death, to save him. Nothing worked... " She gazed over at Sasuke, sad smile on her features.

"She's afraid of blood because of that. And she was until Naruto convinced her to come home and help you and Kakashi. You see, his resolve and determination convinced her being Hokage really wasn't a pipe dream only for the fools who wanted it. And now, once more, she's placed her hopes and dreams in him... knowing this time, he'll be the one to do it."

"Damn..." Sasuke whispered. "Well... no offense... but with Minato continuing to be the Hokage... if he does survive that fight... what reason will she have to come back to Konoha? Will she be your teacher?"

Sakura shrugged. "Who knows? Eon seems to have a plan despite all the changes. And there's no way in hell I can see myself being anything but a medical nin." She smirked. "Hell, if I have to track her down myself and force her to teach me all over again, I _will_ continue being the woman I am."

He chuckled. "I'm not doubting your resolve, trust me. I'm just wondering, you know."

"Aren't we all?"


	22. Chapter 22

**..Chapter Twenty-Two..**

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It had been a quiet morning for Sasuke. He'd expected it to go on much like any morning before. He'd get up, Sakura would get breakfast ready before dragging Naruto out of his own bed and eventually all three would find themselves going about the day as usual; waiting for a mission to pop up or for Rin to show up, dragging his pink haired team mate away for some duty that needed her opinion in the hospital.

However, things rarely went on in Sasuke's life as he planned them to happen. For one, he hadn't exactly expected Itachi to show up at his doorstep, uncharacteristic smile on his lips, as he begged his 'Nii-san' to spend the day with him, or at the very least the morning. And how could he say no to a face like that? Had he done that to his bother as a boy? That doe-eyed, helpless puppy dog face that just... dared you to say no and face the consequences... whatever those were? Hell if he knew. Although, as a child, Itachi had indulged him more than was required of an older brother, he was sure.

It was with a half smile he nodded. A half hour later he found himself skipping stones across a small river in Konoha somewhere on the edge of the village with his 'little' brother. He hadn't spoken much since they left the house. But he looked happy as far as Sasuke could tell. He hadn't seen much of him in the past two years as he'd tried to avoid him as much as possible. So, really, who knew what was up?

His black orbs trailed over to the shade of a tree, slightly smirking as Stalker lazily tried not to taunt Lilith. The black panther merely yawned at the stubborn bird. Normal animals couldn't communicate properly with one another, or so he guessed. But, animal nin were use to the language of their partners. And as such, they could communicate easily with one another. He wasn't exactly sure what Stalker was saying to the panther as he hadn't been paying to much attention. But, whatever it was, he _was_ sure the big cat didn't care. Thus the state his feathered friend found himself in.

He chuckled softly and went back to skipping stones with his brother. It was good to see someone--unlike Sasuke--could get under Stalker's skin. It was only fitting it was his brother's animal nin, it seemed.

"So, I see your parents let you keep Lilith," he finally spoke, not really liking the silence all too much.

"It took a while, but yeah," he replied, tossing another stone. "Dad wasn't too happy about the prospect... but once he saw what a benefit she could be well... it wasn't hard to convince him." He reached for another stone, tossing it up and down in his hand, almost palming it as he thought.

Sasuke smiled. "And your mother?" Somehow he couldn't see his mom welcoming a large cat into her home with open arms. She was a kind woman by all accounts; but, like every woman she had her limits.

Itachi chuckled and tossed his stone, watching it bounce off the water's surface before sinking below. "Oh, she wasn't happy about it. Even now she still complains about all the hair on the furniture. But, in all truth, I think Lilith has grown on her." He smirked. "Every once in a while I catch her sneaking her some scraps from dinner."

Sasuke chuckled slightly as well and moved to sit down on the rocky surface just near the edge of the water. His legs moved in a crossed position and his hands flat palmed the ground behind him. He watched his brother toss a few more stones as a wind swept by and mussed both their strands of ebony.

Itachi had grown up a little in the past two years. It wasn't that he hadn't noticed or not seen him at all in that time; it was just now he took the time to finally see. His hair had gotten a bit longer, but now it was tied back in a ponytail. The pieces of his bangs that couldn't reach the tie at the base of his neck, like when he was older, played around his soft features. Sasuke had to wonder to himself, if he grew his hair out would it look like that?

Itachi finally stopped tossing stones and moved to sit next to Sasuke. His gaze lingered on the clearing across the river. Everything settled into a comfortable silence like before.

"So... I somehow doubt you called me out here just to skip stones," Sasuke began the conversation once more.

"True," Itachi agreed. "I didn't." He looked over at him, not bothering to hesitate to the real heart of the trip. "I have a brother," he started. "And his name is Sasuke."

The older male arched a brow, but made no other real expression. Of course he knew this day might come sooner or later. His birthday had only been a few short months ago. And he knew what that meant. He knew what year it was. It was one of the reasons he neglected to tell anyone, as all of them had, when their birthdays were. Not that you really took the time to celebrate such things as a shinobi. There were just always more important things going on.

Sasuke smiled softly. "You named him after me?"

Itachi shook his head. "No, my father named him."

Sasuke nodded as he looked down and picked up a stone, toying with it. "I take it when you told them about me he decided he liked the name?" It wasn't a bad guess, right?

Itachi shook his head again. "I never really told them about you. Well, I told them someone watched after me while they were gone, but I never gave any details." He shrugged. "My father doesn't really care as long as the results are good."

"I see."

Itachi sighed. "He wants me to join ANBU, you know? I've only been out of the Academy a year. I haven't even gotten my bloodline limit yet." His voice hinted at complaining. "You know what it feels like, Sasuke. To have your father want so much from you... how did you deal with it?" He turned to look at him for an answer.

Sasuke blinked at the question. "You're asking me for advice?"

He nodded. "Who else? It's not like I can talk to anyone about my problems but you. No one else.... they don't get it," he muttered, looking down.

Sasuke sighed long and hard. "Well... " He scratched the side of his head. "I never really solved the problems I had with my father. I think... I think after a while he just sorta gave up on me."

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke shrugged. "My older brother was always much better than me. So, I guess when I never showed much promise at a young age he... well... gave up on me. My mother always said he cared about the both of us equally behind closed doors... but I knew better." He looked over at him. "Look, I know this doesn't solve your problem..." he said slowly, "but I guess I after a while I just stopped caring myself."

"About whether or not your father approved of you?" He blinked at the revelation.

"Yeah, pretty much." He grunted, sitting up slightly as he dusted off his hands. "In the end I just realized he was just another old man playing politics. If he didn't want to care about me then why should I have ever bothered trying to get him to see me? If it was his prerogative to ignore me? So be it. I accomplished all I did on my own. Not because he wanted it, but because I wanted it, Itachi." He locked his gaze on his brother's, speaking earnestly. "What I'm trying to say is, if you want ANBU then do it. Not because he expects you to, but because you expect yourself to."

Itachi slowly nodded and then gradually pulled his gaze away from Sasuke's. He looked down at the stones beneath him, his arms wrapped about his waist. To Sasuke he looked like he was in a deep thought. He was almost curious what kind of a conclusion he'd come to.

"You're right," he suddenly said, eyes drifting upward and over to Sasuke's. He smiled softly, his eyes almost closing with the action.

"Am I?" Sasuke couldn't help but smile in return.

"Yeah..." He nodded. "And honestly? I'm not sure what I want to do. But, whatever it is it'll be my choice and not his." He chuckled suddenly. "Perhaps I'll turn into a rebellious teen when I get older."

Sasuke couldn't help but laugh as well. "That might not be so bad." He watched as Itachi stood up and arched a brow. "Leaving so soon?"

He nodded. "I need to go talk to my dad." He turned and walked over to Lilith. The large cat stood up and allowed him to slide onto her back. She gave a final yawn as Stalker found his way back over on Sasuke's shoulder after he stood as well.

"Good luck," he offered.

"I'm sure I'll need it," he said with a smirk. But just before he turned to he stopped and looked at Sasuke. He seemed to be pondering a final question.

"Yeah?" Sasuke prompted.

He half smiled. "You... well..." He sighed. "You were once a little brother... as painful as that was... can... do you think you can give me any advice? Is there anything..."

Sasuke smiled. Somehow he found it odd he was going to be giving his older brother advice on how to deal with himself. "Honestly? Don't indulge him too much. Encourage him if your father won't. Be there for him. But, above all else..."

"Yeah?"

Sasuke's lips twitched as a pain sliced through his heart. There was no way of knowing if he'd take this last piece of advice and remember it years later... but if there was even a chance... it was worth it. "Be honest with him. Brothers will always share a bond that no one can understand or break; whether they're blood or not. And they'll always understand each other's pains or reason for doing stupid things. Know that... no matter what you do or think of doing... he'll never judge you, Itachi. Just.... just make sure you don't hide anything from him... even if you think he's too young to understand... ok?"

Itachi blinked at him a few times. But, whatever it was he thought about his words he must have chalked it up to his own persona experiences. He suddenly smiled again; and once more, Sasuke found how odd, yet comforting that expression was on him. "I will, Nii-san." He turned to go, but stopped when Sasuke called to him again.

"Itachi?"

"Yeah?" He looked at him over his shoulder.

His voice was once again earnest and the young boy got the feeling whatever he said he needed to listen more so now than ever.

"You know there might come a day when I'm not here anymore, right?"

He blinked again. "All shinobi know this... you always prepare yourself for the day your loved ones might not come home.... why?"

Sasuke sighed, moving to stand next to him, along the right side of the big cat. "My point is, when that day comes, as the years pass, you may forget about me."

Itachi shook his head vigorously. "I'd never forget about you, Nii-san. How can you--."

"Listen to me!" His gripped his shoulders, meeting his eyes as his tone became serious.

Itachi's eyes went wide and he tensed up. What was wrong with Sasuke? He'd never seen him like this before.

He closed his eyes, taking a moment to gather his thoughts as he tried to get figure out how to get his point across. He opened them back up, still meeting his gaze as his heart hammered in his chest. All those emotions were there again. Accept this time... this time he really did love his brother. None of the revenge remained willful in his body.

"You might forget about me... But, even if you do... promise me... promise me you won't forget what I've taught you. That when you grow up, and that time comes in your life, as it does for every shinobi, you'll realize the quest for power is not as glamorous as you imagine it to be." The grip on his shoulders became tighter, as if just through touch alone he could make him see what he was trying to say. To convey.

"It's very easy for any man or woman to do the wrong thing, Itachi, to give in... but... it takes a great strength to do what is right. Do you understand?" His voice was a desperate whisper.

Itachi just kept staring at him, eyes wide. "But... but it's not a shinobi's job to do what is right, Sasuke... it is our job, our duty, to do what our village orders us to..."

"Forget about that!" He nearly shook him. "Forget everything that's ever been instilled in your head by that idiot father of yours. For just a moment..." He nearly drifted off with his words. "For just a moment," he said, his voice calmer, more even, "realize that a day will come when the choices you make will have nothing to do with orders and everything to do with whether or not you can become an honorable shinobi..."

Itachi slowly nodded. "Ok, Sasuke..."

"Promise me," he ordered softly. "If you do nothing else for me... just promise me..."

"I promise," he replied urgently. "I promise I'll do the right thing... even I don't have a clue as to what your talking about."

Sasuke nodded as he slowly removed his tight grip from his shoulders. "Go on then." His voice was almost hoarse. But one small little boy would never really understand why. At least not for years to come.

Itachi gave him one more long hard look. "But... I also promise not to forget you, Nii-san." And before he gave Sasuke a chance to respond he was bounding off and into the distance with Lilith.

Sasuke stared after him, long after he left his line of sight. "But you will..." His voice seemed almost torn, as if he were afraid he'd forget his words as well. The only hope he had to go on was, that despite all the bad things Itachi was and would be... he never broke his word. It might not seem like much to anyone else... but to Sasuke it was a small flag of hope that he allowed himself to grip on to.

ooo

"Glad you could all make on such short notice."

Sakura glared.

Naruto stared groggily.

Sasuke arched a brow.

The pink haired woman normally would have praised Kami the little 'worm' that was their guide in this game of 'time and tag' had finally shown up once more. However, _normally_, she wouldn't have expected to be torn from her nice hot shower--naked--just to make his audience. It wasn't even the fact that she was nude that really irked her, no, it was the fact she'd really been enjoying that shower. A lot.

Naruto himself was hardly woken up. He was still dressed in in jammies and had his eyes only half open from his position on the ground. A single pillow that had managed to make it's way to the back and blue meeting place was clung lazily to his chest. He yawned, trying to wipe sleep from his eyes.

Sasuke sighed and removed his long robe as he made his way over to Sakura who was shivering, glaring and trying to cover her body up as water rolled off her form.

"Thank you," she muttered as he helped her pulled the thing on.

He didn't respond as he buttoned the front of the thing up while she stood there. After that, he turned around and addressed the Guardian. "Is there any particular reason why you couldn't wait until she was dressed?"

The Guardian raised a brow. "I suppose I could have. But I didn't exactly expect her to show up here in that manner. I needed to speak with all of you urgently. I wasn't going to check on your state of undress."

Naruto yawned and rubbed his eyes again. "Naked?" He muttered still half asleep.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he reached over and yanked Naruto to his feet. "Wake up and pay attention, drop out."

Naruto grumbled and moved so his shirt was ripped out of Sasuke's grasp. "You don't have to be such a sour puss. It's not my fault he drug me here from my bed."

"You shouldn't be still asleep at ten in the morning, idiot!" Sakura cried out.

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto whined.

She merely grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at Eon. "Alright, we're here. Not the way we wanted to be, but we're here. So tell us what's going on. Are we going home yet or not?"

Eon frowned sadly as he sighed. "I wish you were... but unfortunately I have one more mission for you."

"Hey, as long as we don't end up staying here for another two years I'm sure we can handle it," Naruto muttered. It was apparent from his tone the news of Minato being his father and what that might mean was still weighing heavily on him.

The silence that greeted all of them after Naruto's statement was not a welcome one.


	23. Chapter 23

**..Chapter Twenty-Three..**

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**..**

"What?" Sakura asked, nearly gasping. Her face was a wash of confusion, anger, displeasure and disbelief. "Another two years...?" Pause. "Are you insane?!" she was two seconds away from running right over to the little imp and beating him into a pulp. Time Guardian or not this was just out of the question! "Do you know what we've been through so far? Do you have any idea?"

The small man just stood there. He looked pained himself but wasn't saying anything.

"Of course you don't," she grouched, malice all over her face. "Sasuke has had to deal with his brother. A man, who mind you, kills everyone he ever grew to care about as a boy!" She motioned to Naruto. "He just found out his father is the Fourth! The Fourth! One of the few great men he's spent his entire life admiring and the last two years learning from! Granted, I'm sure he's grateful for the experience, but that doesn't discount the fact that he might lose in him in the end. To Orochimaru!"

"Sakura..." Naruto slowly began.

"No," she said heatedly as she pointed at him. "Stay out of this. I've been standing idly by for years now, not saying a word everytime he shows up and decides to give us some new set of orders." She turned her attention back to Eon. "We're people! We have feelings, thoughts, emotions. And we can only take so much... You know? Why can't you see that? Why can't you just let us go home in peace to lick our wounds? To slowly accept that fact that no matter what we do here nothing can really be changed?"

Her words echoed in the dark room. They rang out and hit each of her team mates hard. She'd said everything they'd been thinking for a while.

"And what about you, Sakura?" The old man asked.

"What about me?" she snapped.

"What are you losing in all of this?" His voice was soft, telling. "You've explained to me what Sasuke and Naruto are losing, what they're going through. But you've neglected to tell me what's hurting you."

Her eyes narrowed as he inquired. What was she losing? As if he didn't know. The Great Guardian of Time had to know everything, right? Aside from a few holes in his memory he had to know about her confusion, the pain in her heart.

"It doesn't matter," she muttered. "Just send us home and I'll be happy. We'll all be happy."

"I can't do that just yet," he replied, hands behind his back as usual.

"Why, because that little rat's still running about?" She snapped again. "Which, by the way?" Her voice raised slightly. "We still don't have a damned clue as to who he is. This whole ordeal would be a lot easier if you knew that much."

He nodded. "I apologize, but he's managed to evade me still in that regard. No matter how many images I look to, no matter how much I dig into the past or future, his face remains hidden to me."

Her jaw tightened and slowly, ever so slowly she let it go. She had to didn't she? Anger wasn't going to get her anywhere. Interrogating him, insulting him, yelling at him was going to get her no where. If he did know he would tell them. It would behoove him to since he got them into this whole mess to begin with. That thought led to another. And as such, motivated her to ask another question.

"You know, if you're so powerful, why can't you just take him out yourself? Why do you need us anyway?"

He snorted as if she were an errant child asking the impossible. "It's not my place. My duty is to stay here and keep watch over the passings of time. I can no more take care of him as you can grow wings and fly."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Somehow I figured you say something like that." All mystical beings were the same. They had to be. Even fiction books didn't lie about that, it seemed.

"Alright," Sasuke murmured, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "That aside... what is our next task, that for some unexplained reason, is going to take us two more years to accomplish? By the way, why another two years?"

Eon smiled softly. "I'm not entirely sure about your next task. It's going to take me some time to figure out what his next goal is. However," he began to add at their questioning expressions, "the two year time span is not without it's purpose. You see, I've realized our enemy has something all three of you will need to learn as well before you can hope to defeat him. Something.... something that will one day be considered forbidden by your people in the ages to pass; as the ninja grow stronger, more formidable and technology presents itself to your descendants."

Naruto blinked. "Descen...dants?"

Sasuke grunted. "He means ours kids. All the people that come after us."

"Oh," he said as he blinked again.

"And what," Sakura asked, "pray tell is that?"

Eon smiled. "Time manipulation of course. Over the next two years you're going to have to learn to master it in real time. You'll have to. And by that time I'm positive if I can't find our... rat as you called him... you'll be able to on your own. And then, well," he said contently, "you should be able to go home on your own. That is, if you can master the techniques."

Sasuke smirked. "In two years?" He cracked his knuckles. "No problem."

Naruto grinned wolfishly. "I can't let the bastard have all the fun, ya know."

Sakura smiled despite herself, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine. It's not like I'm going to willingly be left in the dust by you two."

Eon nodded. "Good. Be prepared. Because starting tomorrow your new teachers will present themselves." With a clap of his hands both Sasuke and Naruto were gone from sight.

Sakura blinked, wondering why she'd been left behind. "Um... "

Eon smiled as mysteriously as ever. "I think you and I need to talk."

Sakura arched a curious brow. "Do we?"

He nodded. "About Kakashi."

"Ah," she replied, eyes wary. Really though, what did he expect her to say? Was he going to reprimand her for getting so close to him? Hadn't both her and the copy nin taken care of that by agreeing to remain friends?

"Look, I'm sorry if you don't like the fact he and I sorta got close. It's not like I asked him to kiss me. And anyway we sorted that out. We're just friends. You really have nothing to worry about. I'm not going to--."

"Just friends, Sakura?" He asked calmly. "Is that what you want?"

She blinked at him again. "You're not.... like mad at me for messing with... like... you know... the very fabric of time or some such nonsense?" She waved her free hand idly as she said this.

Eon chuckled. "Goodness no. I told you, girl. You're all suppose to be where you're at. It can't be helped. Things are expected to change a little because you're running around in the past. But nothing too big, I assure you."

"Oh..."

"Now, I'll ask you again... is that all you want from Kakashi? Friendship?"

He was acting uniquely friendly himself, she decided. Not that she would really know at all. After all, Eon had only shown himself a few times over the years. And each time was with some tidbit of information or piece of advice about the events to come.

Did she even want to be talking to him about this?

She shrugged. "I dunno."

"Hmm..."

"What?"

"Nothing... I'm just trying to figure out what could be holding you back. It's obvious you care about him, even if you don't love him," he answered honestly.

"Of course I care about him," she muttered back like he was a moron. "He's my ex sensei. He was my teacher for years. He was my friend for years after that. He still is."

Eon smiled knowingly. "Is that's what holding you back? The fact that he was your teacher?"

"No."

"Or," he continued, "is it because he's fourteen years your senior?"

She snorted. "Not that it matters much, but yes, the thought had occurred to me. I mean, even if I don't see it as a tad odd... what will he think? We're talking about a man who always saw me as a student. A man who's known me since I was twelve. A guy who use to ruffle my hair and wipe my tears when the boys hurt my feelings... or when Sasuke told me I was annoying." Her eyes cast down. "I doubt he looks at me like a woman. I doubt he ever has."

Eon nodded. "But you're talking about the man in the future. What about the boy in the past? The one who kissed you on the wall of Konoha when he thought he was going to lose you forever? What about," he asked in a heartfelt manner, "that man?"

She bit her lower lip and hugged herself closer. "I don't know... I mean, I spent my Genin years drawing this image of him. This strong, admirable, yet distant lone wolf. He wasn't perfect, despite what everyone says, but he was still... well... Kakashi."

"And now?"

"Well now I've seen a lot more of him than I ever imagined. When I was a kid there were always a lot of questions. Most of them have been answered since we've been here. Why he's so distant. Why he keep people at arm's length. Why I've never seen him in the company of a woman when all his friends do otherwise." She sighed and looked up to meet Eon's gaze on her. "It's like seeing a totally different person. Watching him grow up, becoming his best friend... It's nothing I ever really expected..."

"And?"

"And what?" Sakura echoed back.

Eon chuckled. "Well, I guess my question to is, what will you do now? You might not completely understand your feelings about him... but you do have feelings for him, don't you?"

"Well... yeah..."

"More than friends right?"

"Yeah..."

He smiled and stepped close to her. He crooked his finger at her, signaling her to kneel down and meet his eye level. Once she did he took her face in his hands, cradling it as his all knowing eyes captured hers. "Life is short, is it not, Blossom?"

"Well, yes, but you said--."

"I know what I said. I know what I told you three. And you're right. They will forget. All of them. That is unless you can change it."

"Change it?" She was echoing his words again.

"Life is indeed short, Blossom. People live, grow, make mistakes, fall in love, have sex, procreate, leave a legacy... and then before they know it? They die in one brilliant flash of light." He almost laughed at her frustrated expression. "My words have a purpose. Hear me out, alright?" He waited until she nodded before continuing softly.

"I don't give advice out often. It's rarely my place to interfere in the workings of choices. Especially the choices of mortals. But I can see, this one time, a choice needs to be nudged."

"Ok..."

He smiled again, and she was reminded of her father, wise mentor that he was. "Two years is a long time. It's not forever... but it's long enough to change fate, Blossom. Love can move mountains. It can send armies to war and make men kill. Love... love can make anything possible. These are not the words of a senile old man. There is a reason why such ideals have lasted the testament of time and age. It's because they're true.

"It wouldn't matter if it was two years or two decades. Eventually one of you will die. Whether it's in his past or your present. And you might be left with quite a few regrets. Not just sadness." At her rippling green orbs he got to the real heart of the matter. "Use your time wisely, Blossom. Even if you don't love him now... don't wait until it's too late to find out."

She swallowed. "But... but what if he doesn't remember any of it when I go back?"

He snorted. "What if he's not there at all? What if he's dead?"

Her eyes went wide.

"You're missing the point, child. Any number of things could happen. It's not the what if's that matter so much as what you are going to do about it. And so what if he doesn't remember you? Make him remember. Relish each and every moment you take to get him to recall you and what he means to you." He smiled, releasing her. "Make him fall in love with you all over again, if you have to."

She half sat there, still kneeling as his words washed over her and sunk in. Each syllable burrowed it's way into her cranium. Each word poked into her conscious. And each one made sense. "You're right," she whispered.

He snorted, placing his hands behind his back as she stood and he took a step back from her. "Of course I'm right. I'm the Guardian of Time. Knower of all next to Kami himself."

She chuckled, smiling brightly. "And I have to admit... the idea of making him fall for me all over again is almost too good to pass up."

He laughed with her. "That's a girl. Now, before I rudely consider sending you back to the shower... where would you like to end up?"

She smiled, hands on her hips. "Just outside the shower would be nice. I'd hate to leave the tap running. And as soon as possible too. I have plans to make."

"Of course you do." He grinned. "Goodbye, Sakura. And don't forget about tomorrow. You're teachers will make themselves known when you least expect it."

She idly waved her hand. "Yeah yeah. Beam me out, Genie." Halfway through her sentence she found herself just where she requested to be sent, a new prerogative in mind for the day.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** It's getting closet to the end and I don't want to reveal too much. So, for the moment I'm only going to answer some questions. At least the ones that won't reveal much of what I don't want revealed.

**﻿****how did naruto /just/ notice that minato was his father? :: **Duh! He's Naruto! He might be older and wiser, but he's still the most dense ninja there ever was to exist.

**and wouldnt sasuke have known if itachi got to keep lilith or not, even if he didnt see him much? :: **Sasuke has pretty much distanced himself from Itachi as much as possible. And since I can see their father keeping him as busy as hell with training between missions I doubt it.

**also, what about kakashi and sakura? what went on between them in those two years..? :: **They became best friends, of course. Kinda like how Naruto is close to Sasuke. More than friends but right now less than lovers. I think this is the only fanfiction I've writing yet without using that expression somewhere in it. It's like my tag line. And yes, I did make it up. -grins-

**Pance ::** No problem, hun.

To everyone else! Thanks! If I missed you or if you just want a shout out let me know and I'll add it to my next author note.

**--Blade**


	24. Chapter 24

**..Chapter Twenty-Four..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

Blue crystalline eyes stared upward. A soft cushion of emerald green grass kept him comfortably in the position he was currently in. Otherwise, one would imagine he would have moved from it long ago. Strands of almost silver-blond kissed his features and danced across his shoulders. Twin sets of three dark whisker marks that defined him in the far off future as the Kyuubi container stained his cheeks. If one were to glance at Uzumaki Naruto one would gather he was just your average fifteen year-old; hell, even an average ninja. However, to anyone who actually knew him, there was nothing remotely 'average' about Uzumaki Naruto.

A blade of brown grass sat between his pale lips as he gnawed at it, considering the truths he'd finally allowed himself to belief. When he'd found out Kushina's last name was Uzumaki at the initial introduction over two years ago he'd wondered. But, being use to disappointment in the past he'd simply shuffled it off to being a mere coincidence. After all, she was from an entirely different village.

The second clue he'd had staring him right in the face was Minato himself. The older male had said so on many an a occasion that he and Naruto looked uncannily alike. And then when Kushina became pregnant Naruto avoided avidly thinking on the birth date. Thinking on it, analyzing it, made it all the more possible to think about the impossible. He'd learned long ago not to get his hopes up about things like that. Wishing Iruka would take him out for ramen was a whole bowl of difference from maybe finding out the Fourth Hokage was your father.

When a child had been produced the night of the Kyuubi attack he'd thought maybe Minato had found an orphan. Yes, it would of had to have been what he'd done, right? He went on thinking this. Even after the evidence stared him strait in the face at the memorial ceremony. But even during the ceremony he'd never shown or said the name of his 'son'.

And then... when Jiraiya had said it... told him the name... it all came crashing at him at once. He could no longer deny that the boy in Minato's arms was not only his son, but the Kyuubi container. He was the Fourth Hokage's, Namikaze Minato's and Uzumaki Kushina's son. No... he could no longer call himself an Uzumaki anymore could he? They'd officially married a few days ago---making Naruto's last name Namikaze.

He sighed, reaching up and wiping a hand down his face.

Was he upset? No. Confused? Not anymore. Happy? It didn't even begin to describe it. Afraid? Beyond. There was still a distinct possibility he could lose him in the years to come. After all, the Third had died trying to save Leaf from Orochimaru. And there was nothing he could do to change that future unless Eon told them otherwise.

So, in the end maybe it had been easier left knowing Minato was nothing more than a good friend, a great sensei, and like no other father figure he ever had in his life before. Because knowing what he'd been trying to deny for the last two years made possibly letting him go that much _harder_.

A body laid next to him and he didn't even have to look to know that familiar scent was Sakura. Sasuke wasn't too far away, sitting on the fence behind him. They'd been waiting there for a while and Sakura had only just shown up from whatever she'd been doing earlier that morning. Aside from the waiting game? It'd been a pretty average morning. And with who was coming today all three of them had turned down missions for a while.

"You know," she began, "if we knew when they were showing up this would be a hell of a lot easier."

"Yeah," Sasuke started next,"well you know how mysterious beings of a higher calling are. All orders and no schedules. Makes it a hell of a lot more fun for them." He chuckled.

Naruto flung his blade of grass aside, bored with it. Either that or he'd gnawed the thing to death. "I just wanna get on with it. It's bad enough we're going to be here for another two years."

Sakura shrugged, blinking in a slow methodical manner. "I dunno. I mean... it's not like we won't go home. And to the same day as well, right?"

"Eon never gave specifics," Sasuke said. "So who knows. Personally, it's weird enough being trapped in the body of a fifteen year old when I know I'm twenty."

Sakura laughed. "Thirteen at eighteen wasn't bad enough?"

"Oh, that was bad, but this just seems worse. Some nights I'd give anything for a drink. It's insulting to go into a bar and be forced to order nothing more than fruit juice or tea."

"Ditto," muttered Naruto.

Sakura was still chuckling. "It's not like you guys drank much before anyway, right?"

"It's one thing to be able to drink and not want one. It's totally different to not be of age at all when you know damn well you are," Sasuke explained with a mutter.

Sakura rolled over on her belly to look at him with a smirk. "Are you pouting?"

He arched a brow. "No..."

Naruto grinned. "He is. Don't let him lie to you." He dodged the stick that suddenly came flying his way. He laughed as it stuck out of the ground where his head had been. He glanced up at him with a wry grin. "Careful now. That almost hit me."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "That's because I was aiming for you, dropout."

Before Naruto could begin a rebuttal a sudden gust of wind tore through their backyard. It was such a powerful force all three members had to cover their eyes and shield their faces. Dirt was caught up in the blast. Sticks and stray leaves flew around and smacked at their bodies.

"What the hell?" Naruto called over 'storm'.

"Don't ask me," Sakura cried back, edging back near Sasuke and the fence with him.

Stalker cried out in protest and Sasuke reached form him, shielding himself and the animal nin. "This is insane!"

But as soon as it started it began to ebb. The gusts pulled back and centralized to a center point in the back yarn not too far where Sakura and Naruto had been laying down. Three pairs of mismatching eyes steadied on it. The gust turned into a spinning tornado of bright white. It almost shone with sparks of color and in the center the shadowed forms of three people back to back began to appear. As the haze of the storm cleared a bit you could see three bodies clad in black. One looked female. Her hair was short and bright sky blue. The two others were male and both appeared to match the female in hair color. The suits they wore, as the image became clearer still, looked like ANBU uniforms without the chest plates or normal guards.

As the gusts completely died down you could make out and hour glass symbol on the female's upper arm. The same one as Eon's with the Leaf symbol in the center accept this one was a tattoo like what ANBU would have.

Sakura blinked a few times as the one facing them, the woman, opened her eyes to reveal twin pools that matched her hair.

She suddenly smiled as the two men who, could be her twins if it weren't for the longer hair, came to stand on either side of her. "Hello, my may call me Ash. My comrades are Helix and Quinn." She motioned to either side and to the two men. As her eyes drew back to Sakura and the group she addressed them once more. "And we are here for your training."

ooo

Another kunai was reached for, large but angular digits moved to glide across the metal until settling on the wrapped handle. His middle finger moved to the ringed end. It slid through the hole; flipped easily a few times before being flung across the yard. A thunk was echoed along with several others as it hit the target perfectly.

It continued on like that for a while. Same repetition, same pattern, same grip and gentle hold on the weapon. And each time the same echoing of three thunks hitting three targets was heard.

Kakashi gave a long sigh when he finally had no kunai left on the table next to him. He took the few long steps forward and ripped each weapon from it's place in the post. This sort of thing was rather trivial. However, Minato-sensei had always said if one did not keep up with the basics they tended to dwindle and create problems later on. And today had once more confirmed that he and his original team were more than proficient at the simple Academy practice.

He glanced over at his other two team mates and arched a brow. It seemed Rin had stopped long before he did. Obito had as well; sitting with her in the grass not too far away. They were laughing and smiling about something. Every once in a while Rin would cover her mouth with her hands as her eyes closed in mirth. Obito seemed to grin everytime this occurred, love present in his one good eye.

He gave a soft sigh and made his way over to them, slowly pushing down the steady rise of envy at their happiness. The chuckles turned to grins and smiles as he took a seat between the two of them in the circle they'd started.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to the annual festival. My mother loves to open up her house to the children every year." She frowned. "It's sad, you know. We haven't been able to do it for a few years because of the war. But, this year everything has finally settled back to normal. Minato-sensei says the village will be able to afford to do it."

Obito reached for something out of his bento box and popped it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed before responding. "Yeah, my sister seems pretty hung up on making sure the Uchiha families participate this year."

Kakashi arched a brow once more, looking rather confused.

"What about you, Kakashi? Are you going to participate?"

"In what?" He asked, honestly not sure what they were speaking about.

"The annual fall festival, Kakashi. You know? Where everyone dressed up and roams about the village, going house to house? The whole warding off of the evil spirits tradition?" Obito explained. "Have your forgotten?"

He had, actually. Probably because it use to be something his mother participated in. And when his father passed away and she eventually died of heartbreak he moved out of the house. And afterward with the war no one was doing it. So Kakashi had simply forgotten. It wasn't something that stuck his old memories as touchy or deeply personal, but he did seem to recall it being one of his mother's favorite holidays. He'd always been too busy trying to followin his father's footsteps too much to care; at least before he died. However, she'd still forced him to dress up for a few hours every year; even if his father was out on a mission.

"Kakashi?" Rin inquired.

He blinked, realizing he was drifting in thought. "I guess so..."

Rin smiled. "You should open up the house."

Obito frowned. "Rin..."

Kakashi shook his head. "It's alright."

Obito looked at him curiously between bites. "Well... I just know how..."

He shrugged. "It's been a few years now, hasn't it? I've been meaning to clean it out for a while. This is as good as an excuse as any." He smiled softly behind his mask. "Besides, I'm sure the old man wouldn't appreciate me allowing the ancestral home to crumble into such a state."

Rin beamed. "Great." She clapped two hands together. "Do you want any help with it? You've got a week after all."

"Rin."

She looked over at Obito. "Yeah?"

"Have you forgotten we promised your mother we'd help her all week? We even turned down a high paying mission because we promised her," Obito explained.

"Damn," she cursed, snapping her fingers. She looked over at Kakashi apologetically. "Neh... I'm sorry, Kakashi."

"It's alright. I can handle it." He reached over and stole a rice ball from Obito's bento, ignoring his glare.

She frowned. "You can't do that all by yourself. Ninja or not that place hasn't seen the light of day in a while."

Kakashi sighed. "I'm sure I can get someone to help me." He popped the snack into his mouth and munched.

"Who?" Obito asked. "Everyone else is already wrapped up with setting up their own homes." He took a sip from his bottled juice. "You don't get it, man. This year is suppose to be huge because it's the first time in a while the village has been able to celebrate anything."

Kakashi sighed. "Well, if push comes to shove and I can't get it ready in time I just won't worry about it."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Sometimes I don't think anyone but Sakura understands what's in that head of yours."

"Oh!" Rin exclaimed. "Why not get her? I haven't seen much of her or the boys. She has been pretty busy lately. I bet she doesn't even know there's a festival being held."

He looked up at the sky, eye narrowing as he contemplated a series of clouds. "Hm... Maybe."

Obito gave him a shove and moved to stand. "Come on then. Enough about your love life and lazy tendencies. Let's get some training in before I have to go home." He smirked. "We still need to see if you can master that illusionary technique, right?"

He smirked back, accepting the hand offered to him and dusted off. "Lazy? So says the kid who claimed to have gotten lost on the road of life when we were ten."

Obito grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Well..."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Sorry this chapter took so long. I had to work a few nights ago and my sleep schedule always get fucked up when I have to work. -.- Anyway, I'm sure this chapter seemed fairly boring. I just needed something to fill the gap between some points of importance. Have no fear though. A few more chapters and we should be skipping ahead two years. -grins- Sorry to keep dragging it out. I just need some more Sak/Kak development.

**Wirespeed91 ::** Thanks for catching that. I changed it XD

**darkchocol8807 ::** Kakashi is fourteen. Everyone else is fifteen. Mainly because he's a tad shorter in the manga than Obito... so I just figured it made sense. Plus, he graduated ahead of them by a good many years. -shrugs- Then again, maybe I just think it's cute that he's younger than Sakura in the past XD Who knows?

To everyone else? Thank you! Feel free to ask questions. I'll do my best to answer them.

--Blade


	25. Chapter 25

**..Chapter Twenty-Five..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

Green pools of emerald stared outward as she leaned into the wooden frame that held up the wrap around porch of the 'cottage'. Her arms crossed over her chest and her head moved to set against the same wooden frame. She opened her mouth, yawning slightly.

The day had been a long one yesterday. Their teachers had been rigorous. The jutsus they'd begun learning were _not_ simple. The fact of the matter was, they were going to have to master time manipulation first. Once that was complete they could actually move on to fully mastering the techniques proposed. Their regiment had been reduced to working every other day as the strain of learning such a technique at first was too much on the body. Especially for those not use to it; or so she'd been told by the woman who'd become her teacher.

Where did that leave her today? With nary a thing to do, really. Even with two grown men in the house cleaning was still a cinch. Naruto kept his mess to his room because the last time he'd left any sort of mess on an epic scale she'd threatened to burn everything orange he owned. And Sasuke? Had he ever left a mess? Really? Not that she knew of.

She gave a long sigh and leaned more so into the square beam. Today was going to be tedious. She couldn't take a mission because she had training tomorrow. She didn't have anything to clean. She couldn't train because it would cause too much of a strain on her body for what she had in mind. And anything too strenuous would mess her up for tomorrow.

She gave a sigh and brought her free hand up to her face, fresh water bottle poised centimeters before her lips; set on drinking the cool stuff. However, something made her take pause. She stared, eyes nearly bulging at first and then flat out narrowing in avid curiosity. Could anyone really blame her? After all, the sight before her was not one she chanced to view every day; in fact, at all for that matter. The water bottle lowered and she continued to gawk.

Sweat rolled down his thick yet lithe form. Ripples of sinewy muscle tone, nearly as pale as snow, seemed to reflect in the sunlight peaking through the clouds. It was nothing she'd not seen before. And yet... she had to admit, never quite like this.

She watched as a blade sliced downward and cut into a bundle of curling vines clinging to the wooden fence that separated their yards. Gloved hands reached and pulled for the bits of leafy mess and tossed them behind his person.

She watched as he reached up with a rag, taking a break, and wiped the sweat from his brow. And then he looked up. And were she any other person, did she not know him as well as she did by now and if her sense of human emotions were not quite so good in conjunction with body language? She wouldn't have noticed it at all.

His smile.

After a moment she managed to collect her sense and and smiled back genuinely. She pushed off the beam and walked down the small set of stairs. She made her way across the yard and to him at the barrier of the fence. He met her there and she moved sideways to lean into it.

She offered her cold bottle of water. "You look like you need some hydration, Kakashi."

He arched a brow and took the bottle. Opting to take a drink before responding, he tipped the drink upward and opened his mouth. The cool liquid coating his dry throat was like heaven. He lowered the bottle and gave a satisfied sigh. "Thank you, I was." He offered it back but retracted it as her hand waved him to keep it.

"You need it more than I do."

He smiled easily again. "Apparently so."

She nodded and moved to rest her forearm on the top of the fence with her elbow bent. "What are you up to anyway?" She glanced about at the work he'd already done and wrinkled her nose. "I thought you hated this place."

For years it had been a sore subject for him. He'd told her the whole story a long time ago in detail. His end of it anyway. And while he'd overcome the disappointment in regards to his father because of Obito, the memory had always been a bit too fresh. The one of finding the man he'd looked up to as a boy dead by his own weapon in the living room.

In fact the only recent time he'd been in the place since his father's suicide was when he gave his dishes to Sakura. And even then it'd been pretty hard.

He tapped his fingers on the top of the fence a few times with his free hand. Then he stopped to speak. "The inside needs work."

She could see he didn't really want to; which is why she was confused about why exactly he was doing this. A few years ago she'd tried to convince him to face this one nightmare full on. He'd refused, of course; and no one blamed him.

"Why now?" She asked cautiously.

He took another sip from the water bottle and placed both forearms on the fence. He leaned into it. "Ah, well, the fall festival is coming up." He looked towards the sky. "My mother always loved the holiday." He shrugged. "My father would hate it I kept letting it go to hell. Now's a good a time as any, right?" He looked at her.

"Hm..." she began. "You're cleaning this place for the festival?" She figured changing the subject slightly might not be a half bad idea.

He nodded.

"By yourself?" She watched as he nodded again. "What about Obito and Rin?" She looked up at his house. "I mean, it's at least a whole two stories more than mine..." She blinked a few times and then looked back at him.

He smirked slightly, lazy eye present. "They're busy with Rin's mom's getting ready for the same thing. So, yeah, I'm by myself on this one." He scratched the back of his head.

She frowned and looked back at the house. "But, the festival is the day after tomorrow. There's no way you'll get it done by yourself by then. At least, not if the inside is in sore need of repair as the front was..."

He shrugged and followed her gaze. "I can try."

Sakura looked back at him as he kept his eyes on the old home. She knew this wasn't easy for him. Hell, if he managed to stay in the house for more than ten minutes at a time without needing to come out she'd be amazed. How did he ever think he was going to accomplish this on his own; much less actually do it considering the past?

She sighed dramatically. "I suppose I'll have to help you then."

He looked at her. "No, that's alright. Surely you have other things to do today."

She shook her head as he started the last sentence. "Not a thing, actually. You could say I have the day off. No missions for a few weeks and every other day I have to... chill. That and," she explained, "I can't do anything hard by ninja standards. Cleaning a house the old fashioned way is fine."

He chuckled slightly and shook his head. "New training regime you've come up with?"

"Eh, sorta." She grinned sheepishly. "Don't make me tell you twice, Hatake."

He was grinning too this time. "I guess I'll have to accept then." He pointedly eyed her. "At least when you stoop so low as to order me about, _captain_."

Her mouth made a humorous 'O' shape and she smacked him playfully. "Quit that. I do not order you." She stuck her tongue out at him as he dodged her blow. "At least not without justified cause."

"Which is rarely," he muttered humorously.

"Oh...!" She grinned in her false temper and jumped over the fence, dashing after him. "You're getting it now, Crow."

He artfully avoided her as they ran about the yard, laughing. "Anything you say, Cherry."

She stopped mid-dash and crossed her arms over her chest. A smug look lit up her face. "Fine," she began. "If you're going to be like that I won't give you your gift."

He blinked at her as he watched her grin and run up to his house to open the door. With the quickness he flashed up to the door as she opened it. He braced arms and hands on either side of the door opening and leaned forward slightly. Perhaps a little to close. "Gift?"

She smirked. "Yes, a gift. For you." She narrowed her eyes and arched a brow. "But.... I might just take it back. You don't want it." He pressed a hand to his chest, intent on pushing him out of her way.

He took her hands quickly, pressing his thumbs into her palms as he held them softly. "I do."

She smirked slightly, eying him curiously. It wasn't the first time he'd done this or acted this way. Everytime she got 'angry' with him he tried to act like a cute, lost little imp fully intent on smoothing her over with calmed words and romantic actions. In their world it was a little game of sorts between good friends. However, to the outside watcher it could be seen as flirting. Not that either of them considered that.

She sighed dramatically. "I might be convinced to reconsider."

"Yeah?" He leaned in closer, his forehead barely touching hers as he gave her 'the look'.

She chuckled lightly. After a moment of allowing him to think he'd won she finally pushed forward. The action apparently caught him off guard. Because he ended up on the floor, square on his back.

She laughed and walked over him. "After we clean this place up, Hatake. And only if you can manage to be nice for a few hours."

He sighed and placed his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner. Kaioh Sakura would one day be the downfall of him; he was sure of it. "I'm sure I can try," he mused out loud and began to stand. He dusted his bottom off and moved to follow her towards the stairs. "Where are you going?"

She shrugged. "The ground level is clean. Aside from a little dust it's perfect. It'll take a half hour tops to get ready. I want to take a look at the rest of the house to see what else we need to do." She paused and turned slightly to look down at him. She arched a brow. "Not worried I'll find some embarrassing baby photos of you, right?" Her lips twitched slightly.

His features mimicked hers. "Not at all. I was very adorable as a child."

She rolled her eyes and continued upward with a slight smile. "You're incorrigible."

He grinned and refrained from replying to the comment.

Sakura rounded the corner into a long hallway. She took pause and gandered about at several doors and one other long hallway leading towards the front of the second floor. Much like the lower floor it was all very Japanese in style. Very old and a lot of paper-wood doors that slid open. Konoha was funny like that. While some homes and establishments could be very modern with swinging doors some others still still possessed the sliding ones made of rice paper. His apparently was the later.

"Where should we start?"

He shrugged and moved to stand next to her. "No idea... The last time I was up here was to get my things and move out."

"What about your parents' room them?"

"Hasn't been touched since my mother was last in it," he explained evenly.

She could tell he was trying to be strong about this. Even if he no longer blamed him, the fresh memory of losing his father was just as bad. And then his mother not long after that. Sakura glanced at the doors again and then back to him. With a soft encouraging smile she reached for his hand.

He looked down as he felt her hand in his own. His eyes moved up to meet her's questionably.

"Come on, Hatake. We'll do this together." Without waiting for his reply she gave a tug on his hand and led him to the first door in the hallway.

ooo

They'd gone from room to room on that second floor, cleaning, dusting, rooting through drawers. But, for the most part everything was clean and organized. Almost everything just needed a little sprucing and the windows opened to freshen up the house. They'd even managed to get the air and heating system started. And in doing so they were getting all the hampering smells out of the house. It was quite stuffy. Kakashi had been hesitant as she had expected. He wasn't showing it well, but he wasn't hiding it well either. But once more, Sakura could simply see things in him others could not. It wasn't their fault; she just knew him better. He had a way of moving his eyes and twitching his lips. His hands dug tighter into his pockets when he became nervous or apprehensive. And in the past few hours he don't quite a bit of all three.

Sakura found the best thing to do when he got wound a little too tight was to simply leave him a lone with a 'job'. Nothing she necessarily dealt out herself; just something that somewhat kept his mind off the situation as a whole. She had. Currently he was looking through a single closet; going through one item at a time on the third floor. It wouldn't take him too long--it never did--but it would keep him busy enough for a while to get his nerves in order.

It was amazing to her still how much she'd learned about him in such a length of time. Was this how he had always been as a boy before disaster struck him? Kakashi had always been kind to her, Naruto and Sasuke. But, as she'd said before, he'd never been personal. The man she'd come to know here talked to her about quite a few things he never talked to anyone about. He told her about his hopes, his dreams and flints of his past. He smiled at her and joked with her. He laughed with her and occasionally cried with her. Well, she cried... he listened. And she'd done her fair share of crying since being gone from home.

What had become of him in her own time before they had changed everything? Minato had died. Obito was dead. And she had no idea what have become of Rin. However, she'd never seen her before. So the chances of her actually being there for Kakashi after all the loss was questionable. Had anyone been there for him? He'd said all his important people were dead or gone from his life. So, perhaps no one had been there for Kakashi... She paused as she rifled through another box in the lone storage room.

She'd been there for him all this time. And all his important people were not dead.

How horrible it had been for him without anyone. Is that why he was so cloistered? Was he afraid to be open with anyone? Or, was it fear of losing them that kept him from getting too close? Kakashi, she was sure, would sooner cut off his right arm and rip his own body to shreds before he lost anyone around him... but was it his own way of protecting his heart by keeping everyone at such a distance?

It was this thought that made her realize, all the more, how much she didn't want to lose him herself. What would happen to him when she did leave? Sure, he would have his friends around him. Minato, Obito and of course Rin; however... if he didn't forget about her... if the emotion was that powerful... what would losing her do to him? He'd have to go at least ten years without her. And after that he'd be her teacher... maybe. And even so he wouldn't say anything. He'd probably brush it off as coincidental, being the rational man that he was. And then what? A whole eight years after that when she herself, as she was, returned? What would he be like? Heartbroken? Ruined? Distraught? Would he even be there? Would he even wait for her? She wasn't so vain as to think he would... but the idea hurt her all the same. And Kakashi had always been a lone wolf... or perhaps a lone crow anyway...

She sighed, sitting back on her heels.

Eon had told her not to worry about the details. That it would all work out. Part of her loved the Kakashi she knew in her time and the rest of her loved the boy she knew now. If he grew into that man still she would still treasure him just the same; because she would know the real person behind the mask. She always would. And her gut told her to trust Eon; just as it had in the start of this trip.

It would all work out. For now, she had to treasure the time she had left with him. While she wasn't entirely sure yet if she was in love with him she knew she had feelings for him. Deep ones. And they bordered on love. And she was willing to let them grow into something more. She was willing to be happy, if even for only two years more with a man who would one day become her teacher, mentor and one of the greatest shinobi the world had ever known.

She finally gave a soft, if not unsure, smile and went back to opening the box before her. Her mind set once more as she went back to her task. What greeted her eyes was not entirely expected. It appeared the storage room must have been the place to keep decorations for parties and such. And the very next box she rummaged through happened to be one with the fall festival ones in it. There were lanterns, candles, costumes, masks and spooky things to put up all over. The best part was, each one looked delicately hand made; like each one was a piece of art.

"I see you've found some more of my mother's crazy art projects."

She turned, lantern in hand and smiled, not the least bit surprised. He'd finally gotten a shirt back on. The one without sleeves and his attached mask. It was tucked into the dusty blue shinobi pants. He appeared covered in dirt from the house still. She was sure she made quite the picture herself.

"They're lovely. Did she use them for the fall festival?"

He nodded, coming to sit next to her and go through the items on the box. "She did. Every year. And each time she added more." He motioned to a statue in the corner of the room. It looked like a mix between a gargoyle and a man. "That use to sit in the front gate of the yard." He smirked. "Welcoming visitors. My father was never very excited to cart it downstairs each year when he was in town."

"Ah.." She replied and shifted around in her spot to get more comfortable. "Well, we should use these for the day after tomorrow."

He nodded. "Sounds good. You want me to take this down stairs?" He motioned to the box.

"Yeah, that would be great. I'll rifle around through a few more things while you do and see what else I can get you to cart down there." She smiled and stood as he did.

He chuckled. "I'll suppose you want me to cart down the statues too."

She frowned and touched her fingers to her lips. "Oh, no, not unless you want to. And certainly not by yourself. I'll get the guys to help you later."

He kept grinning. "No, it's fine. It's really not that heavy. Thankfully, mom made the pieces meant to be moved most often hollow. It weights less than you do."

She smacked him playfully. "And here you were starting to make me feel sorry for you!"

He laughed and picked up the box to cart it out of the room. On his way he replied. "I can't help it. The look on your face is worth it every time." As he went out of sight his last sentence was. "Perhaps I'm just a glutton for punishment."

She rolled her eyes, half wondering if he was flirting with her. And half wondering if she should simply flirt back. She gave a soft sigh once more and shook her head before heading about the room in search of another box. She rifled through several more, finding only winter decorations and one more for spring holidays. Her lips pursed and she wandered a bit more around the large room, almost completely forgetting about Kakashi. And then it seemed her mind completely evaporated from him as she sighted something in the corner next to that statue he mentioned earlier. A large chest to be precise.

It was long and wooden. Elaborate in design and carved with lovely inlay work. Lotus blossoms and what looked like lovers were all over the thing. Nothing racy. Just romantic. It was something she would expect to see in a shop for young girls just starting to have hopes of love and believe in the silly truth of fairy tales.

She smiled, kneeling down and ran her fingers over the delicate work. Se was so entranced by the piece she almost forgot to even open it. Should she? Kakashi had said it was fine to go through anything in this room. Still... this item felt so personal... so special. And yet she really couldn't help herself.

The lid slowly creaked open and within it she found a treasure trove of memories. Black and white pictures littered the top of the lid. Each one showed happy scenes. One was of a couple in full wedding regalia, smiling into the camera with wine glasses. They looked like Kakashi's parents. She knew the man as his father. And the woman could be none other than his mother. Kakashi looked every bit his father... but she could tell that smile of his was all hers.

Other pictures still showed her as a young girl with friends. More still depicted her with Kakashi's father again. A few more were of her and someone she could only assume was Kakashi as a child. Her face lit up again as she spied him as a young boy without his mask. She looked at the pictures a while longer. Her eyes then drifted to the contents of the chest.

There were a collection of papers, clothing, trinkets and a doll. However, the one item that reached out to her was a leather book with a silver plate on the cover. The inscription read, 'Forever'.

Feeling a wash of curiosity she carefully picked it up. Her hand wiped over the cover and trailed over the silver inscription so delicately carved into the plate. Her eyes half narrowed and she shyly pulled the old cover open. Within it what she found was not a diary or even a series of more pictures like she expected. Instead, what she found was yet another treasure trove. As she flipped through the pages she discovered it was a series of letters. Each one was back and forth. Some were to Kakashi's father from his mother and some were to his mother from his father. None of them were signed by names. It appeared his father's title for his mother was 'Dearest' and hers for him was 'Beloved'. The only way she knew was the references to Kakashi.

The words were so earnest and her heart felt like it was catching with each word she read. She scanned a few, reading bits here and there. But one entry stuck out to her. The last one... from his mother...

_Beloved..._

_The lotus blossoms danced on the river wide during your funeral. The spring winds caressed my face as I said my final goodbyes in my heart. Few people were there, you know. However, Namikaze-san showed up. He was always a good man... I don't blame the many people who once claimed to be your friend for not showing up. However, it still didn't stop me from wanting to go to their homes and scream at them all. You do not shame me, Beloved. You never have and you never will. You made the right choice, just as I told you that night..._

_Why you felt the need to make such a drastic... it's beyond me, my love. You have a son after all. How could you leave him behind? You've always told me I was a good mother and wife. But, that was because I always had you by my side. How can you possibly expect me to continue without you?_

_Kakashi... He found you. I found him... just staring at you. There was so much blood. Why didn't you talk to me? Why?_

_He hasn't spoken to me for days. Not since you did it... I can't get him to say one word. He just goes about his day as if.... as if... he's some sort of zombie. He's breaking inside, Beloved. I can see it. How could you do this? How? Can't you see he needed you? I needed you..._

After that the words just stopped. A mess of ink and tears staines trailed down the paper. Sakura had to pull the thing away from her face to keep from crying herself. But the entry went on after that gap. And it appeared to be for a week later because there was a set of parenthesis saying the date for continuing the entry.

_I promised myself I would finish this. I told myself I would get through the last of this goodbye without crying before packing this book away to never be seen by my eyes again. I'll probably will it away to Kakashi when I die..._

_Oh, Beloved...._

_He... he's not the same. I remember when he smiled. When he laughed. When he ran into my arms after his time in the academy every day telling me how much like you he so wanted to be. And now... now he clamps up everytime your name is mentioned. He's told me you disgraced us all and he wants nothing to do with your image anymore. He's taken to wearing a mask and tells me he swears to be the perfect.... the perfect shinobi in order to make things right for the Hatake name._

_I desperately want to argue with him. But everytime I try... I can't help but hurt and want to cry. So... all I do is smile, wander to my room... and poor my eyes out over the smell of you still lingering in the sheets._

_I've lost my husband, my will to paint... and now my son... _

_I love you, Sakumo. _

_-Dearest_

By this time she really was crying as she held the book out and on the edge of her knees. She felt weak and her heart felt worn. The way Kakashi had told her... it hadn't exactly been mechanical. But, so many details were left out. The way this woman, his mother, described it... it tore at her in ways she didn't even understand. The way she had loved his father... it was... unquenchable. She couldn't imagine loving anyone that much. Like you were dying yourself... But...

Hadn't that been how she'd felt that night a few days ago? On the wall? When he kissed her and she'd run away? Hadn't her own heart tore at her at the thought of leaving him? Of having never knowing..?

She barely heard the footsteps behind her. And it was almost too late that she realized a hand was on her shoulder. And when she turned to look at the face before her, kneeling next to her, she was still half crying.

She said nothing as she caught his gaze, her lips quivering. At first his look was one of confusion and perhaps anger? And then he looked severely concerned at the sight of her tears.

"Sakura?"

Her name on his lips was like heaven. And she found she wanted nothing more but to hear it for the rest of her life, if it was possible. And if two years was all she had? It was worth it. Her own lips... they moved on their own. The voice that escaped her mouth was almost a hoarse whisper.

"I...."

"Sakura...?" His was hesitant.

_There are times when you make me laugh_

_there are moments when you drive me mad_

_there are seconds when I see the light_

_though many times you made me cry _

She swallowed, but refused to lose her nerve. Her fingers drifted up and the book dropped to the floor below her. She watched the apprehensive expression in his one good eye grow. Her digits trembled as she grasped the edges of his mask.

_There's something you don't understand_

_I want to be your man _

His hands reached for her wrists, gently holding as if to stop her. "Sakura?" He was asking again. His own voice became a whisper. He was scared, she could tell. He was just as lost and unsure as her. But he wasn't exactly stopping her. Her hands continued to pull tentatively; like peeling away not just a mask... but a mask made of so much more.

_Nothing to lose_

_your love to win_

_hoping so bad that you'll let me in_

_I'm at your feet_

_waiting for you_

_I've got time and nothing to lose _

As she did so his face was slowly revealed to her. It was soft, delicate and lovely. His lips were soft. His cheeks softer still as she caressed them. He was just as lovely as she recalled. "You're beautiful..," she whispered.

His single eye was wide as she spoke. "What..."

Before he could say more she was speaking again. "I love you." and before he could speak further, she was kissing him. His wrists were still holding her own as her fingers tangled into his hair and inadvertently loosened the binding of his headband.

_There are times when I believe in you_

_these moments when I feel close to you_

_there are times I think that I am yours_

_though many times I feel unsure_

_There's something you don't understand_

_I want to be your man _

She could tell he was shocked at first. That slowly wore off though as he allowed himself to be fully kissed by her and consumed by the fire that ravished her insides each time she saw him; the same fire that had burned in her at the glistening sight of him half naked earlier that day.

He was inhaling sharply through his nose as his eyes half closed and he stumbled under her weight, falling back onto the dusty floor of the storage room. But that didn't seem to stop her as she continued to kiss him. He didn't know what to make of it all, but hearing those words on her lips had been enough to do him in; put him at her mercy.

Did she really know what she did to him? How he had yearned for her like this?

_Nothing to lose_

_your love to win_

_hoping so bad that you'll let me in_

_I'm at your feet_

_waiting for you_

_I've got time and nothing to lose _

He reached around her waist, opening his mouth, tangling his tongue with hers. She was so soft yet firm in his arms. Her chest on his felt so right. Her legs tangled in his own did nothing for his sensible mind. Were he a poet this moment would forever be inscribed in pen for the rest of his years afterward.

_I'll always be around you_

_keep an eye on you_

_cos my patience is strong_

_and I won't let you run_

_cos you are the only one_

After feeling thoroughly lost on the control Kakashi finally started to take over the kiss, nipping at her lower lip. Both of them were breathing heavily, heatedly. It was magnetic, perfect and blissful. It was better than he'd ever imagined. The moment was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. If there was a heaven surely it couldn't possibly compare to this. It just couldn't.

He tightened his hold on her and reached up, tangling a naked hand in her soft, short strands of cotton candy pink.

"I love you too," he breathed between kisses reverently. "Since I first saw you," he admitted. "Brash and strong in the Hokage office."

_Nothing to lose_

_your love to win_

_hoping so bad that you'll let me in _

Sakura blinked and suddenly pulled away. She felt her throat catch with emotion. He'd... he'd loved her...

"Kakashi...." She breathed, her eyes rippling with more emotion than before, emerald greens glistening. "You..."

Knowing what she migh be about to say he shook his head as he grasped both of her cheeks. "I did," he began, "and when I realized it a day or two later... I knew... I knew then there'd be no one else for me."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She suddenly wanted to know.

He shrugged. "We were kids, Cherry... Friends. We joined ANBU together. We became a team together. We shared secrets, laughs, joys and sometimes a tent." He smiled ruefully. "I didn't want to ruin that. Not if it meant never being near you again... I waited instead."

"You waited," she echoed. "For me...."

He nodded. "I'm a patient man, Sakura. I would have waited another two years if that's what it took. Longer even, if it took that long. And if you ended up with someone else... I would have been happy for you. Alone, but happy."

If it was possible... she felt like she was falling for him all over again. Tears streaked down her face. "I would have waited for you too, Crow," she choked out.

"Shh..." he whispered as he leaned up, kissing away her tears and caressing her eyelids with his lips. "No more tears..." he said softly. "We're together now and that's all that matters, right?" He smiled ruefully at her again, pulling back.

She nodded, smiling. Not really being able to say much more, she simply leaned down and kissed him again. She kissed him in that drafty old storage room and swore once again... to never regret her choice, no matter where it led her.

_I'm at your feet_

_waiting for you_

_I've got time and nothing to lose..._

ooo

They were laughing, walking hand and hand outside and into the darkening front lawn as dusk settled in. Everything was finished. The house was officially set up for the fall festival. Dashes of orange, black and brown were everywhere. His mother's lanterns were hung all over the porch. The curtains had been switched out for tattered spookier ones. The statues of creepy creatures were all over the lawn. And Sakura had promised she'd be over the day of the festival with a lot of goodies to give out and make.

They both leaned back into the fence at the front of the yard and she turned to him after they got one good look. "Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

"What was that book I found in your mother's chest?"

He arched a brow and crossed his arms over his chest. "The one you were reading?"

She nodded.

He sighed and for the first time that day when something was mentioned about his parents, something really personal, he smiled. "It was their letter book."

"Letter book?"

He nodded. "Yeah... you see... both of them were shinobi. But they had an agreement with the Hokage, like most couples did with a child; even if that child was a shinobi in the Academy. Only one of them would be out on a mission at a time. Sometimes these missions spanned months. So they kept a note book of sorts. They would write letters back and forth in it to each other while the other was gone. When the one gone returned and the other left they would read and write back." He looked over at her. "It kept them close."

She smiled. "That sounds... rather romantic."

"It was," he said reverently. "They loved each other very much. And the letters made that love stronger."

"Have you ever read it?" she asked quietly.

"Some of them," he admitted. "But I could never bring myself to read the last entry."

"You should," she said bravely.

"You did?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded slowly and looked back at the house, gaze narrowing. "You're mother... she loved your father very much. And she loved you very much too..."

He didn't say anything for a while. It wasn't a conversation he wanted to have with anyone. But it was one he could see having with her. "She died of a broken heart..."

"You told me once before," she agreed. "But... I never knew how much until I read that entry..."

And then they were both quiet for a long while. Both lost in their own thoughts. Each one was different. Some were sad and some were wistful. For Sakura it was thought of leaving Kakashi like he'd been left by his parents in two years. For Kakashi it was simply the thought of his parents and how he still missed their presence; how he wished in so many ways that he'd come into that room a few moments earlier in time to stop his father. To save his mother from her pain. Or maybe to have been a better son to her after that; to have been there for her instead of going off on his own cold path.

"Well... I suppose I should give your gift now," Sakura suddenly said.

"Gift?" he echoed, arching a brow as he recalled her earlier mention of a gift.

She laughed and reached into her pouch. "Yes, a gift." She handed him a wrapped little rectangle with a small ribbon of blue.

He blinked a few times and took it.

"Well... go on... open it, Crow."

He did. What greeted his eyes he'd suspected might have been a book. But what she gave him was not what he had anticipated. "A porn book?" He muttered and looked at her. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

She laughed. "No, you goof. Look," she opened the binding and showed him the signature and message. "Jiraiya signed it for me. It's one of his seven hand written copies. Many of them went to auction, but I happened to be lucky enough to bride him into this one."

He was still confused. "But... a porn book?"

She frowned and placed her hands on her hips. "It's not a porn book, Crow. It's good literature. I never thought it was true... but apparently I was told right. Sure there's some pretty racy scenes in it. But much of it's actually well written. This one has a good mystery and a great plot intrigue about a woman who works as a spy for two waring shinobi countries during the first war. And believe it or not some of this is actually based on real history."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Well then, if it's from you I'm sure I'll love it."

_If you only knew,_ her mind raced with a hidden grin, _if you only knew._

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

AN: OMG! I'm so sorry the update took so long. But I've been swamped with decorating and buying stuff for Christmas. I made this chapter especially long and mushy to make up for it. Anyway, since that is done, the next chapter should skip two years. And trust me when I say things are going to get a lot more interesting. But don't be mad at me if I doesn't get posted until after the holidays. I promise I'll try to get it sooner.

Now for questions!

**Markin ::** No, just Sakura is ANBU. Like Sasuke and Naruto need to be! -laughs- They're bad ass enough on their own. Now, I did that for Sakura because honestly I think she needs a little edge on her. And to logically bring her up to par with her boys. Now I can honestly say she's on their level in my fanfiction. And after her training she'll a be a hell of a lot more powerful like the other two.

**backlash symphony ::** Thank you! I always hope for that kind of reaction! You almost had me a tears ;_; Wow, you rock.

**1. At some point, aren't Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke going to want to stay in the Past Konoha rather than return to the Present Konoha?**

No, this will not be happening. I've already got it mapped out. I always planned for them to return to their own time from the very beginning.

**2. And won't Jiraiya (at least it seems like you're hinting at Jiraiya) figure out where everybody is from?**

Nah. I love the dirty perve. But no one will figure it out for the time being. I can tell you someone WILL. but it won't happen until after they return. Or at least this person won't realize it all until years later. And it's not Kakashi at first.

**3. Would his finding out their identities cause them all to be sent back to the Present Konoha?**

No, of course not XD.

**4. If everyone affected by Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke in the Past Konoha will eventually forget them (assuming the three won't get close enough for everyone to remember them) what would happen to Lilith?**

No one will really 'forget' them in the traditional sense. I will give you a plot spoiler just for asking this question. Kakashi will remember Sakura, maybe even her name, but he won't really recall her face with perfect clarity. He remember bits about her. Maybe her laugh, her eyes or even a phrase she said. But rest will be lost to him. He'll remember the loss. And it will have an affect on him.

It will be the same with everyone else. Only the ones that were close with them will remember the most. To everyone else they'll be like a pleasant flittering in their subconscious. There but not really clear at all. While Kakashi may recall her laugh, eyes and hair color... all someone who saw her once a week would recall was maybe her hair color at most.

As for Lilith... well, you'll see!

I hope this answered your questions!

**Sammie ::** Not a bad idea about the Hyuuga clan! I'll think about it.

**kakasaku fan** :: Initially I was bothered deeply by your review. Now, not so much. The only thing I can say, is if you're going to call my main character a 'mary sue' at least explain why. oO At least so I can see how or why and perhaps improve upon her or the next lead in another story of mine. If you're reading this I'd appreciate an elaboration.

**Wirespeed91 ::** Thanks for catching that! I don't know if I told you that before.

To everyone else? Thanks and keep it up.

**-Blade**


	26. Chapter 26

**..Chapter Twenty-Six..**

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The pinkening blossoms of spring were fluttering about all around. Each one danced like a perfect creature made for the art. They glided on the wind, kissed by it gentleness. The bits still clinging to the trees, some fresh in bloom, some unopened, they too moved about as if full of new life.

Birds sang out in the rows upon rows of cherry trees, rose bushes, dandelions, sunflowers and still more. They dove through the skies like two lovers possessed. Their white chests puffed with glee and they spoke to one another with a gayness none could really argue against. For who would really want to?

White and gray cranes sifted through the water of a small pond for fish and insects. Bees buzzed. A trail of other animals moved all over the small garden in Konoha. Each one hid fairly well. But for a village full of shinobi, hiding was a impossibility for small things such as this.

Amongst this place teeming with life was a man. He'd grown taller, his hair slightly longer than his father's was and his uniform was still that of a proud and accomplished ANBU black ops member. His one good eye stared upward at the tall wooden body of the largest cherry blossom tree in the garden. His face was still covered in a mask and his headband still slanted over one eye and over his left ear almost completely.

Today he didn't slouch but his eye was still as lazy as ever. His hands were dug into his pockets; but, he wasn't slouching--yet. He knelt slowly, his one good eye full of delight as he crinkled it in a happy sort of sign, inadvertently looking more and more like his older self than even he knew. But, others did. Others, who we all know, were more than certainly still in their wrong time.

He was reaching for something, but paused, reconsidering as he addressed the individual before him. He gave a soft sigh and placed his left hand on the ground. His right forearm draped over his right thigh; the one up in his kneeling position of course.

He coughed, clearing his throat, obviously nervous and not quite sure of himself. And then, with only a slight hint of unsureness in his voice he began to speak to his audience.

"Four years we've known each other, two of those we've been a couple." He stopped a moment and scratched his chin and looked up as if trying to recall something. And suddenly, he looked back at his quiet audience. "You saved the life of my best friend and then you became my best friend. You helped Rin become a great medic by being kind enough to pass on some of your own personal techniques to her. You gave us... you gave me.." he smiled ruefully, "a reason to be happy again just by being you; just by being here." He gave another sigh, trying to find the words. "I love you. I've loved you since that day you landed me on my ass and taught me what it means to truly see the underneath under the underneath; to look beyond appearances and see a friend or foe for what they truly might be." He chuckled. "And Kami knows I wouldn't have gotten past half the ANBU written exams without you." He paused and took on a slightly serious face. "What I'm trying to say, Sakura... is will you do me the honor," he continued as he pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and opened it, "of being my wife?"

"Oh... Kakashi, it's lovely," the woman whispered, taking the box and reverently stared down at the ring. It was so simple and elegant. The craftsmanship was older than her and the stones older than either of them. Garnet and onyx black made the shape of two crows making the symbol of what looked like a yin and a yang. White ivory made out the rest of it. There were no diamonds set into the platinum piece. But as she looked closer in awe she realized the single ring was two. A set that connected together.

"So?" He prompted nervously.

She smiled and looked up at him from where she knelt. "She'll love it, Kakashi. There's no way she'll say no. Not with a speech like that. If Obito and I weren't so set in our relationship I'd be half tempted to steal you away for myself." Rin laughed.

He smiled in return and snapped the box shut. "Great, just don't tell him that. I don't need that bastard sending me to hospital over some silly flirting from his fiance."

She laughed again and stood up as he did. "Are you going to bring her here to ask her?" She took a glance about the lovely landscape. "If it as beautiful today as it will be the day you ask her you should have no problems, hm?"

He smiled slightly as he pocketed the ring. "I can only hope."

She nodded and picked up her things so they could head back to town. "It was your mother's right?"

"The ring?"

"Yeah."

He nodded as he plunged his hands into his pockets and yes, moved into his trademark slouch. "It was my mother's and my father's. My great great grandfather had it commissioned years ago when he first proposed to my great great grandmother. It's been passed down to the first born male ever since. Although.." He chuckled. "There was an incident one time where the oldest heir was a girl and my great grandfather had to order whomever married her would take the family name." He shook his head.

She blinked. "Really?"

He grinned. "Really. Thankfully, grandfather didn't mind. And incidentally enough he had no family to speak of anyway. But since grandmother had the ring she insisted on being the one to propose. Odd?"

Rin laughed, hiding her mirth behind the palm of her hand. "Yes, but I'm sure it was romantic."

"If you want to call kidnapping romantic," he replied. At her confused look he explained. "Grandfather didn't want to marry her at first. She kidnapped him, seduced him and the rest is history."

"I'm sure that made an interesting tale around the family dinner table over the years."

He chuckled. "It did, I assure you." He reached into his pack pouch and pulled out a small, slightly worn, old orange book. A few pages were flipped open until he found the last place he'd been reading from.

"Oh, Kakashi, must you read that thing in public? With me here?" Rin almost whined. Her face was a wash of half pout and half embarrassment. "How can Sakura tolerate you doing it all the time?"

He shrugged, half smirking. "She doesn't mind at all, actually. She did give it to me, you know. That and a half dozen other publications as Jiraiya put them out."

She sighed. "Yes I know. And now you're so damned obsessed with them I never see you without one." She looked over at him. "How many times have you read that one anyway?"

"Hm," he mused slightly, reading still, "Counting this time? One-thousand and two times. Why?"

She blinked. "Are you serious? You keep that accurate of an account? Don't you grow tired of reading the same thing over and over? The most I can manage to read a book over is about two or three times before I grow sick of it. Even my favorite ones." She frowned. "Can't you at least buy a book cover for it? People stare all the time."

He shrugged. "They stare anyway. By now they've grown use to it. What does it matter? And anyway, I love reading this one because she gave me this one first." He flipped a page and continued reading.

"You're hopeless, you know that?" And then she smiled slightly. "Ah well, at least she knows you care, I guess. Then again, whatever possessed her to buy you a porn book is beyond me."

"It's not a porn book, Rin. If you read it you'd realize that yourself." He grunted.

She laughed as they began to cross the bridge into town. "You say tomato I say tomato. No matter how you look at it there's still sex scrawled all over those pages."

He half smirked as he read. "No worse than your steamy romance novels. At least this one doesn't try to cover all the sex in it with a half shot plot and poor dialog."

She looked utterly insulted with her mouth in the shape of a small 'O'. She smacked him slightly on the shoulder. "At least I don't read mine in public, Hatake! That and they're not mindless sex. There's love involved."

"And how do you know Icha Icha is full of mindless sex without love?" He actually looked at her this time. "I'll have you know each and every one involves a love plot of some sort. It might not be as blatantly blown out of context like your books, but it's still there. Sakura told me this first one made her cry because of the ending."

She blinked a few times, not really expecting that. "Well," she began slowly, "perhaps I'll read one of them some day then."

With a soft smile he went back to his book.

"So, onto another topic, when do you plan on proposing?" They were already making their way down the main market strip and towards the hospital.

"Soon," he murmured.

"How soon?"

He shrugged, one hand in his pocket as the other held his book. "Soon, I guess. Before the week is out anyway." He paused. "Why?"

"Do you think she'll say yes?" She looked over at him curiously, blinking a few times.

He flipped the book shut and looked over at her as he slid it back into his pouch and dug both hands into his pockets. "We've been together for two years and friends for longer than that. We both love each other deeply and there's never been anyone else that I know of. At least not since we've been together." He shrugged again. "We've been on over a hundred missions together, some of them requiring us to sleep in the same bed. We've been as close as two people could get. Do I think she'll say no? No. At least, I can hope she doesn't."

She nodded, appearing satisfied with that answer. But even after the silence passed them for a while he could tell something was itching at her. It was way she bit her lip and narrowed her eyes now and then. She was obviously deep in thought.

"What?" He finally inquired.

She blinked, startled. "Huh?"

"You obviously want to ask me something. So, go ahead." He encouraged.

She blushed slightly. "Well.... I'm not sure if it's really any of my business. But, you're my friend. And she's my friend. You're both like siblings to me in many ways. And well... I just want..."

He sighed, slightly exasperated. "Ask, Rin. Quit it."

"Have you and her... well... have you... " She sighed this time.

"Have we had sex yet?" He offered, trying to save her the embarrassment.

"Yes," she admitted finally, relief in her voice and expression.

He shook his head. "No, we haven't. We have talked about it. And we both agreed we were too young at the start of our relationship for anything really serious." He idly kicked a pebble with his foot. "So... aside from some heavy petting, kissing and snuggling... we've not gone too far."

She nodded. "Well, you know, you're sixteen now, Kakashi... By shinobi standards you are an adult. So is Sakura, being seventeen." She arched a brow. "Unless you want to be old fashioned about it, there really should be nothing stopping you guys from taking the next step in your relationship."

He arched a brow at her. "Why the sudden concern over my sex life?"

She chuckled. "Oh, Kakashi, I'm one of your best best friends. The rest of the village might not have a clue, but I know you've never had sex before."

"And?" He sighed. "Your point?"

She grinned. "I'm offering to help you if your, well, in need of help in the..." She coughed. "Experience department."

He was arching a brow again and smirked slightly. Sure, he was the virgin here and he knew for damn sure she wasn't anymore. Then again, he was the one who read publicly labeled 'porn' out in the open. She still had a prude streak even with the knowledge. "I don't think Obito would like that too much."

She frown, blushing slightly. "I didn't mean like that. I just mean I have a few documents you might want to look over to help you out. Especially about the Sharingan and it's hypnosis techniques, you doof."

"Really?" This time he was genuinely interested.

She grinned once more. "Really. Obito was kind enough to lend me some family documents. Not mention after personally experiencing--."

"Yeah, too much info, even for me," he interrupted her. "Just let me read the documents and we'll leave it at that."

"And I'm suppose to be the prude?" She laughed as they made their way past the hospital doors.

This time he really did blush. Not that she would know, with his mask on. It appeared only Sakura could really tell when he did _that_.

"I'll see ya, hun. I've got my shift to attend to now," she explained as they made their way to the front desk. "But, Sakura should be done in just a few minutes. You're taking her to lunch right?"

He nodded. "I am." He waved as she smiled and left him there. He half smiled in returned, leaning into the desk. "Don't forget those documents, Rin."

"I won't!" she promised as she trailed out of sight. "I'll get them to you after work!" And then she really was gone.

He continued to half smile as he waited there. The receptionist who'd handed Rin her checklist barely seemed to notice him. She was too wrapped up in her own swamp of paper work. He was half tempted to ask her about Sakura, but he didn't wish to bother her. She'd be down soon enough. So he opted to stay where he was, just off to the side of the desk and out of the way of patients checking in and out.

It appeared he didn't have to wait too long. Because five minutes later she came down the hall, her own clipboard in hand. But his bright smile at the sight of her in a lab coat turned to an almost curious frown as he saw the expression on her face. Still, he would wait until she was done to ask her what was wrong.

ooo

Sakura smiled. "Alright, Elisa-san. You're all set to go. Just remember to come back in another week for a check up before the birth."

The woman named Elisa smiled. "You're sure? In another week and a half my girl will be born?"

Sakura nodded with a grin. "Yes, I'm positive. And from the looks of it she'll be healthy and happy."

The woman of twenty-two smiled happily as she stood and pulled her shirt down over her enlarged stomach. "You're too wonderful, Kaioh-kun. I don't know what I'd do without you. What any of us would do. Your medical techniques are only second to Tsunade-hime's. And without her in the village anymore... well," she smiled sadly, wistfully, "we're only so lucky to have you here." She pat her hands a few times before signing the document Sakura gave to her.

"Thank you, Elisa-san." What else could she say? The compliment was a high one. A lot higher than the woman before her would ever know simply because Tsunade had been her teacher for a long time. Her shishou...

Pulling herself from her thoughts she took back the clipboard and helped the woman off the bed. "You're all done. I'll see you in a week. Don't forget, Elisa-san."

She nodded, thanked her one more time, and then headed out the door. It clicked shut behind her and Sakura looked over at the clock on the wall. Ten till noon. Kakashi would be meeting with her soon. She'd have a few moments to change and then she could be off for the day. Thankfully all of her patients had been scheduled early. Anything else would be extra work. And at any rate she had a lot of documents to go over at home. Since she'd started working at the hospital regularly to keep off the mission roster things had been... only slightly droll. She hated to admit it... but she missed ANBU. Sure it was dangerous work, but at least she got to see Kakashi more that way.

She leaned back into the desk in the examination room as her thoughts wandered. Two years... it'd been another two years already. Actually, a bit more than that. Eon had showed up now and then to let them know the time was drawing close. Their teachers had explained to them they had little left to learn. All that remained was perfecting the techniques taught. And Sakura was nearly there. A few more days of work and she was sure she'd have it. She had to.

The only real regret she had in all of this, although she refused to call it that, was leaving Kakashi. To her it would be only moments. To him... to him it would be years. And she still had no idea if he would remember her or not. It was a sad thought. One she'd ignored all the time since that day she'd told him her feelings. Live for the moment. Life's too short. That's what she told herself each and every happy time she experienced with him; each time she told him she loved him and held onto him in the darkness under the moon or in the rays of the sun.

She sighed and gazed out the window at two birds flirting in the sky. It wasn't all that different from that day she'd thought about her boys fours years ago in her own time. When she'd once briefly considered Kakashi before all this.

How had she not seen him before? How had she never truly thought of pursuing him romantically? Was it the fourteen year age difference? No... that was just silly. Hell, girls married men twenty years their senior in noble courts. It didn't happen often anymore in her time, but it did happen. And no one really batted a lash at it.

Maybe it's because he'd always seemed so damned unobtainable. That and he'd been her teacher for a good two years before she'd went under Tsunade's wing. People didn't exactly date their teachers. Not that she'd ever heard of anyway.

She almost laughed at the thought. What would everyone think of her? Sasuke already knew. Naruto had fainted when he'd found out while catching them making out on the doorstep. What would shishou think? Ino? Tenten? Hell, all of rookie nine for that matter. Did she care? Not really.

But, she knew it would be a hell of a lot harder if he didn't remember her at all. Right? Kami, if they ever had kids this would make one hell of a bedtime story. Her eyes began to drift from the window and towards the door as she moved to leave. But a sudden flash of light had her pausing. She turned startled eyes to the fading glow.

Eon smiled up at her in his all knowing, mystical, fatherly way. "Hello, Blossom."

She smiled back at him genuinely. "Hello, Eon-sama. I think this is the first time you've come to speak with me alone. And..," she looked around, "without stopping time and space as we know it?" She almost sounded humorous.

He chuckled. "Aye, I suppose so."

"You're not worried about someone seeing you?" She asked curiously.

He shook his head. "No one can see me or hear me but you, Blossom. And," he added with a wry grin, "you might want to lower your blinds and lock the door. People might start thinking your crazy if you talk to yourself."

She arched a brow and pursed her lips. But she didn't argue. No she did exactly as he suggested. And afterward she moved to sit down in her chair comfortably and addressed him. "Well, I assume you're not here to say hello."

"Never am," he agreed with a sad smile. Despite being sad it appeared to have a glimmer of hope though. Why, she wasn't sure. Eon had never been an easy being to read. And even with her amazing skill some things were just beyond her power. "I'm here to talk to you just as I have talked to Naruto and Sasuke individually."

She arched a brow once more. "Individually? Why? You always talk to us together."

"Because, these are things I cannot say to all of you. Not with the fight coming so soon and not with the ties you all have to one person here... in this time." He smiled again, once more sadly. "I never really expected all these things to happen to each of you when you came here. I knew you would make ties with people, but I never foresaw who."

She really didn't want to ask where this was going, much preferring to just let him continue on his own. The last two years of her life had been happy. Happy, perfect and blissful. She'd never had any idea what kind of man Kakashi was capable of being. And she was afraid whatever he was going to say... might ruin everything for her. So, she said nothing.

"Many things are going to change quickly for you in the next week, my dear. And I don't mean with just the fight. I'm not even sure what they are. But do know they will occur," he explained. "And when they do, remember, anything is possible. As long as you have hope and faith in yourself everything will turn out alright. I promise, my dear."

"You're talking about Kakashi and I."

He nodded. "I am. But, no matter what happens... do what you feel is right in your heart. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she replied quietly.

He nodded and sighed. "You'll be leaving soon. I'm not sure when this week. But soon. Make your preparations to say goodbye in whatever way you feel you need to." He paused. "Have you thought of what to tell him?"

She nodded, trying to hide the pain in her eyes. "That I'm going on a mission. I've already cleared it with Minato-sama. I told him we all have to go finish up a mission the Third had sent us on years ago. Because it was classified for his eyes only he didn't ask any questions... I'm going to tell him... " her voice trailed off as she gathered strength. "I'm going to tell him I might not return for years depending on how it goes." Her voice was a bare broken whisper. "I'm... I'm going to tell him I don't expect him to wait on me."

"You are?"

She looked at him, questions dancing her eyes. "I should, shouldn't I? It's the right thing to do... right?"

He shrugged. "It's honest."

She sighed slouching in defeat. "You're no help at all, Eon-sama."

"I can't make your choices for you. Remember, I don't interfere beyond what I have to. The rest is up to you." He searched her face and took a step forward. "You do love him don't you?"

"Of course," she answered immediately. "I have for years now. And going home won't change my feelings for him. But, how can I ask him to wait years for me? Only to forget who I am, quite possibly. And then, somehow I might have to get him to remember me. How can I ask him to do that? It's like... it's like doing what is parents did to him. What he did to himself... it could crush him, Eon."

He nodded slowly. "You're right. It very well could. But, perhaps you might be underestimating him, Blossom. He waited four years for you. Four. And he said he would wait a lifetime even if it never happened at all. Do you doubt his words?"

"No," she muttered. "But I can't expect that of him. I love him too much to... do that. He means too much to me to make him unhappy for so long..." She laughed bitterly. "And what if I'm on his team as a Genin as time passes? How wonderful it might be to have my image haunt him in the form of a twelve year old girl." Sarcasm laced her voice. "And he won't even know why..."

"Oh... Blossom," Eon said kindly, taking her hands. "You have such little time left. Don't worry about such things until you have to. Have faith, my dear. Everything will work out. You have to trust yourself."

She nodded, closing her eyes as he squeezed her hand.

"I have to go now," he said softly. "But as soon as your teachers approve you for the search I'll see you again. Alright? No more sad news. No more frowns. Only faith."

"Ok," she whispered and forced a smile. "I'll be alright."

"Good," he said as he pat her hand one more time. He took a step back and gave a wave before disappearing in a brilliant flash of light.

"No regrets," she whispered encouragingly. "Only faith." She stood and took her clipboard with her before unlocking to room and heading downstairs towards the waiting room. It was already five past noon and Kakashi was most likely waiting on her. She refused to be sad today. Not in front of him. Not when she had so little time left.

ooo

He waited until she was done with the woman behind the desk. Her eyes drifted around the room. And her frown immediately turned into a brilliant smile as she saw him. She half ran the short distance to him, embracing him in a tight hug. "I missed you," she whispered. She pulled back and gave him a soft kiss that always made his inside run fire red. When she pulled back all the grief in her eyes was gone.

"I love you," she said softly.

He chuckled lightly. "You're awfully receptive today. Is there something going on I missed? Bad day, Cherry?"

She sighed and pulled back. She grabbed his hand, interlacing her fingers into his. "You could say that. But, I don't want to talk about it right now. Right now all I want to do is go have lunch with you and enjoy the rest of my day before they send you off on another mission."

He frowned. "I've been home a whole two weeks, Sakura. I'm going anywhere for at least another two."

"Really?" She asked curiously. It was odd for him to go more than three weeks without a mission.

He nodded. "I've got some things to take care of here."

"Shinobi business?" she inquired.

He smiled wryly. "You could say that."

She chuckled as they made their way down the dirt road. "You're not going to tell me are you, Crow?"

"Nope," he answered quickly.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course not, Mr. Secretive. It doesn't have anything to do with me, does it?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe."

She smiled wryly herself as they finally made it to their destination. It wasn't a grand sort of place. Just the same old hole in the wall everyone spent their time in either for a drink or a good bit of food. Yin's. They served drinks during the day, but it was more family oriented then. It was only at night it took the more dimmed and gruff tone of a bar.

As she moved towards the seats Kakashi surprised her by tugging her towards the bar. "Kakashi, it's too early for a drink."

He ignored her, signaling for the bar tender. "We like two orders of number one, all the works with two ice teas to go."

"Sure thing," the old man replied as he set down the glass he was cleaning. He wrote down the order and clipped the ticket to the window between the bar and the back room. "Order!" He turned back to the two. "Give it about fifteen minutes."

Kakashi nodded and handed him a few bills. "Sure."

Sakura arched a brow. "Are we going somewhere?" The number one order on the list was something they almost never ordered. Mainly, because it was the most expensive item at Yin's. Sure, it was a old pub. But it was a pub with a history. And all good places with such a claim had at least one item on their menu that cost more than one day of her paycheck. And here he was paying for two. Normally when they got it, they only ordered one and picked at it over drinks at night.

"You could say that," he replied.

She frowned and put her hands on her hips. "You're being cryptic today, Crow. I'm not sure if I like it."

He sighed. "Quit acting as impatient as Naruto, Cherry. I promise you everything today has a reason. Okay? Why don't you just let it be a surprise, hm?" He chuckled. "I know how you love to ferret things out; but, all will be ruined if you nudge this one too much."

She eyed him a while longer with a narrowed gaze. It was that same look that said she didn't trust him one bit today. He'd done things like this for her in the past. Maybe not this grand. However, she'd never reacted this way before.

"Is something bothering you, Sakura?" He asked in a concerned fashion. "You seemed upset today when I first saw you turning in your paperwork."

She sighed and leaned back into the bar. "I'd rather not talk about it right now, if you don't mind."

He knew she hated it when he bothered her about problems. And Kakashi never nagged. He knew she would eventually tell him, just like she told him everything. When she was ready. Patience, was at least, his forte. "Alright," he replied. "I'll leave it alone."

"Order up!"

Their basket of goodies was passed through the window and the bar tender handed it to Kakashi. "Everything is there. You can keep the basket if you like. But if you return it we'll refund the rental fee, alright?"

He nodded. "Thank you." He took Sakura's hand and tugged her out the door. He smiled at her. "Spend the day with me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" She blinked.

He pursed his lips. "Well, I know you have the day off tomorrow... I was curious if you'd spend the... whole day with me. I have a few more things left to do after lunch. But, after that I'd like to meet with you later for dinner."

She looked at him for a long moment. There was something in the tone of his voice and she paused. She stopped walking completely and he mimicked her movements. "Kakashi... are you..."

He shook his head, sighing. With everyone else he could be this mountain of confidence, but when it came to her he was still that shy boy of twelve looking up and strong girl of thirteen. "I'm not asking you for anything you don't want to do."

"I know that," she whispered as he looked away from her. Her eyes softened and she reached for his chin, pulling his eyes to lock with hers. She smiled softly. "You remember how you said you'd wait a lifetime for me?"

He nodded after a while.

She chuckled lightly. "Did it ever occur to you I've been waiting for you?"

He blinked as she dropped her hand.

She sighed. "Listen, I hate planning things too far in advance. Why don't we just go eat lunch together. I'll be wherever you want me to be tonight, alright? And I'll stay as long as you want me to... ok?"

"Ok," he agreed with a nervous tone.

She gave him a soft kiss before they both walked off towards wherever he was leading her.


	27. Chapter 27

**..Chapter Twenty-Seven..**

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Kakashi led her down the same path he'd gone with Rin earlier that day. She was right when she said it was lovely. But today it would be the most beautiful at the peek of the springtime season. He could tell Sakura wasn't displeased at all by the choice to eat somewhere else. In fact, his heart jumped everytime he saw her face change. She smiled everytime a blossom petal fluttered by her face. Her eyes danced with awe. He was once more struck with just how much she could be a strong, cool-headed and calm ninja. But, it was moments like these when she almost looked child-like, not adult-like, that had him most happy. And to know he'd caused it gave him more than a touch of joy. Sakura made him happy, just as he'd told Rin.

Her eyes suddenly locked with his as she smiled brightly and stopped near the large tree he'd knelled before over a half ago with Rin.

"It's beautiful. Where are we? I don't think I've ever seen this part of Konoha before, Kakashi."

He set down their basket and pulled the large blanket open that came with it. As he set it out on the ground beneath the shade of the tree in the plush grass he answered her. "Not many people know about it even though it is one of the many gardens available." He smiled. "They do hold festivals here sometimes. But since the newer gardens, the larger ones, have opened closer in town not many people remember this one."

She turned, gauging it all as he touched her fingers to her lips. "I think this one is prettier, Crow." Her voice was soft. She briefly wondered if this place still existed in the future. She'd never heard of it. There was a large gate about it, and vines almost hid it from view. But, if one peaked around the corner one would see it. How could anyone forget about this?

"So do I, Cherry," he replied, equally soft.

She turned to look at him and smiled. She moved to sit down as he began to open their basket. The smells of warm rice among other things that made her drool way too much to ignore it, even with the beautiful sight around her.

She took the styrofoam box he offered her and the chopsticks. She watched and ate as he began to pour their drink from a thermos. "I never did ask you how the last mission went."

He shrugged and set a glass next to her. "As well as any, I guess."

She chuckled between bites. "I'm so use to ours being more than what we're told. One minute we're on a escort mission for a band of civilians and the next we find out it's a court of noblemen from Fire Country just trying to get home."

He nodded, rolling his eyes. "All the while a group of missing Mist nin are on our tails. That was fun."

She pointed her chopsticks at him. "Hey, at least the bounty we got from their capture was good. That's the most pay I've ever see from one days work in my whole life."

He chuckled this time. "Yes, it was."

"Not that you need it Mr. Stingy," she joked.

He blinked. "You mean my father's estate?"

"Well, that. But no. I'm talking about you're amazing ability to stick everyone with the bill if you can manage it."

He mockingly pouted. "I don't do that to you." He took a sip of his drink. "And anyway, I can't touch any of those funds until I'm at least twenty-one."

"True... but I still have to put up with it whenever Obito or Naruto come complaining to me you somehow managed to foot them with the bill over one thing or another." She nudged around some of her food. "Why twenty-one anyway?"

He shrugged. "Minato's in charge of it until I'm old enough. He told me my father just said it was the right thing to do. Something about too much money too young was bad for kids. Even shinobi."

"I guess that's true," she agree with a thoughtful expression. This of course made her wonder why Kakashi in her time was such a stingy bastard to begin with. If he had all the money why was he even a shinobi to begin with?

She opted to ask another way. "Say, if your parents always had all that money... why did they keep fighting for Leaf?"

"You mean why didn't they retire?"

She nodded.

"My mother was the one with all the money. The Hatake family has always been broke." He smiled. "Dad said laziness makes you idle and being idle makes you lose sight of what really matters." He took another bite.

"Makes sense... " she edged. "Do you believe the same?"

He wiped his mouth after obviously finishing off his plate. "If you're asking me if I'll always be a shinobi, even after my parent's inheritance is made available to me, then the answer is yes. At least until I can't anymore."

She nodded and looked out at the hundreds of cherry trees before her. "Me too," she agreed. At the odd look she caught from him out of the corner of her eye she smiled. "Well, obviously not about the money part and family." She laughed softly. "The part about being a ninja till you can't anymore."

He watched her for a long while. Over the years he'd opened up a lot to Sakura. They'd talked a lot about his past and his family. But, somehow, in all the time, through all the mix of missions and moments they spent together she'd always been there for him. Hardly ever had she said much about her own past. There were tidbits here and there about her team and her teacher. But aside from that he really only knew her as she was. She never talked about the war or her mission before she came home. And when he'd asked about it she'd told him it was classified. Kakashi, having quite a few secrets himself never inquired further.

But what of her family? Her parents? To him it was almost like she had none. He knew she'd lost them, or so they'd all been told. But lost how? Were they dead? Or were they off somewhere and unreachable to her? Did she have bad ties with them? Had they been good people? Bad people?

"What were your parents like?" he suddenly asked, wanting to know. "You're childhood..."

She blinked and looked over at him, obviously surprised. "Before I became a Genin?"

He nodded.

"Well," she started, not rally sure where to go with this. While the story they presented years ago stated their parents were dead or were at an unknown location, her's were very much alive and at home in the future. At least she hoped they still were. They'd both been ninja and came from families with a long line of such a career. But as soon as her mother had become pregnant with her both had retired, preferring the more quiet life of a civilian.

"They're both ninja" she offered.

"They're still alive then?"

She shrugged, giving an honest answer. "I don't know." She looked over at him. "I like to think so." She smiled softly and took a sip of her drink after she set her completed meal aside. "They approved of my career choice, at least. But my father was always worried about me. My mother was forever distressed I couldn't seem to manage to get into the more girlie aspects of life."

He chuckled. "Truly?"

"Truly," she echoed. "That is until the Sasuke Stage, as I like to call it, came around."

"You're crush on him?"

She nodded. "Yeah, long before we became close friends. I was utterly infatuated with him. Just like every other girl around me. My mother was thrilled and my best friend at the time Ino became my rival for his attentions" She grinned. "He had no interest in any of us, of course."

"Why not?"

"He was more concerned with his revenge." She took another sip. "But my mother was happy anyway. I was finally starting to show some interest in something aside from my ninja career and books. My father wasn't too happy. But it made my mother happy so he went along with it."

He nodded and looked out at the landscape before them.

She looked down at the blanket beneath them and fiddled with the hem of her green skirt.

"They loved each other then or was it an arranged match?"

He was awfully curious today, she decided. It wasn't like Kakashi. Nothing about him today was anything like he normally was. He'd bought her an expensive lunch they usually reserved for special occasions. He'd brought her to a place she'd only seen in fairy tale books as a child. And he was inquiring more about her than ever. Not that she could really blame him. She supposed it was her own fault for not telling him over the years.

But he wasn't like this. Kakashi made it clear he loved her for her. It didn't matter who she was or where she came from. He never said it with words, only actions. And that was one of the things she adored about him.

"It was a love match," she replied. "My mother and father were originally on the same team as Genin. My father was a very soft man, the sort a lot of young men made fun of at that age. And my mother was a little too tom boy like myself in her younger days. But, as she grew older they both changed a bit. They didn't hate each other. They'd always been friends and stood up for one another on more than one occasion."

"How did they manage to end up together?" he asked, truly interested.

She shrugged and finished off her drink. "It just sorta happened. My mother told me one day she just looked at my father and she knew that he would be man she'd spend the rest of her life with." She smiled softly at the memory of her mother telling her over tea after she'd asked about Sasuke and how she would know she loved him.

"It's not like there were instant, super sparks between them. The chemistry was always there but they'd spent a lifetime brushing it off as something else. But when she knew, finally, she said she couldn't help but tell him." She laughed and looked at him. "He proposed that day. without a ring. And they were happy ever since. Lovely, huh?"

"Sounds that way," he agreed. Actually, if he were to really hit the nail on the head he would say it sounded a lot like them. Maybe not the bit about 'knowing' with just one look. But, more about the part about being friends for so long.

He sighed and turned his gaze from hers. To say he was nervous was an understatement. It wasn't the fear of being rejected. He was honest when he told Rin he didn't think she'd say no. It was obvious they loved one another very much. Sakura was the best person he could hope to share the rest of his life with. And he was sure if his parents were still alive they would approve of her immediately.

He reached over, without thinking about it too much and took her hand. He intertwined her fingers with his own and tightly squeezed. He smiled when she squeezed back.

"Kakashi?" She asked as she scooted closer to him. She caught his gaze as he looked up at her. She smiled at him. "Are you alright?" She closed her eyes and turned her cheek into his open palm as he reached up and caressed her face.

"I am," he replied with a softness in his voice, the one he reserved for her. "But I want to ask you something."

Her eyes blinked open to once more lock with his.

All the words he found himself wanting to say to her were lost on his lips. All the things he had planned to tell her. The same things he told Rin were just gone. The same confidence he exuded on a regular basis was just gone around her. He almost wanted to laugh at his lack of control. This was the same girl he could kill a tenfold of missing nin with without so much as a lost nerve. He could stand to look at her with blood coating his uniform like it was nothing but a hard days work. But, when it came to dealing with emotions involving her he still felt nearly as lost as always. It was almost unfair, in truth. He wanted so much to be the strong man his father had once been. Even he, when he saw him with his mother, appeared to always know exactly what to say. What he wouldn't give for some of that advice right about now.

"I love you," he found himself saying.

"I love you too," she replied worriedly. Her eyes narrowed in concern. "Are you sure you'll alright?" Her smile was one of reassurance. "You can ask me anything, Crow. You know that." She chuckled. "I assumed we were past the fears of biting stage."

He smiled back halfheartedly as his mind wandered; as he lost himself in her perfect eyes. He could do this. He could. There was no other more perfect place. There was no other better afternoon. The smell of the flowers, the sounds of the birds and the sight of the dancing blossoms around them. It was all set up for him. All he had to do was ask her.

"Sakura... close your eyes," he urged, releasing her hands.

She arched a brow at him. "Alright... " Her smile was slightly bemused as she did as she instructed. She waited a long moment. Then after what she thought might have been the feeling of someone waving a hand in front of her face she felt a small box in her hands. Her brow furrowed. "Can I--."

"Not yet. I don't think I can get this out with you looking at me," he said earnestly. Before she could question it he continued. "I've told you I've loved you since I first saw you. I told you I would have waited a lifetime for you, even if I never had you. And I meant it. But, what you don't know is how thoroughly you complete me, Cherry." He smiled, not bothered she couldn't see it.

"I was unhappy even before you met me. I was alone and all I cared about was being the best shinobi I possibly could be. Even after I thought Obito was dead that didn't change. Depressed doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how I felt. Alone is an understatement. And no matter how much Minato-sensei tried to get me to come out of my hard encased shell... I couldn't manage it. There... there was too much hurt there. My heart had been crushed a hundred times over.; first with the loss of my father and then at the death of my mother; one of the most important people in my life. And one of the last to make me feel anything, to make me smile."

He took her free hand and gripped it tightly as he watched her face. "Obito never really understood why I was the way I was until that day with the Rock nin. And he almost lost his life teaching me something as well as learning himself. You made so many things possible for me. I can't... I can't even begin to thank you for it all. Words wouldn't do it justice." He reached up and cupped her face. Her soft smile encouraged him further.

"I'm not a grand as I'd like to be. I not anywhere near your level as far as I'm concerned. Mastering hundreds of techniques still leaves me feeling like I'm only bathing in your shadow."

"Kaka--."

"Sh," he pressed a finger to her lips. "Don't argue with me. It doesn't matter who's better. Because no matter what changes or how time passes or where we go on this journey I'll always feel that way about you." He smiled again and pulled his hand away. "I don't mind being in your shadow, Cherry. Especially if it means you're the one bathed in the spotlight."

"Oh, Kakashi..." She still didn't know what was going on here, but his words had her heart feeling like it was falling over the edge.

"Sakura, open your eyes."

She did so and when she did her eyes immediately went to the box in her hands. It was open and revealed to her the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen carved out of onyx, garnet and ivory set into a platinum band. No... scratch that... two platinum bands... The ring was two. Her hand moved to cover her wide and open mouth.

"Sakura," he called to her softly.

She looked up at him, confusion and apprehension in her eyes. She felt something beating in her ears. What did it all mean? What was he...

"Will you..." he said nervously, "...will you marry me, pathetic sap that I am?"

It was her that now couldn't form words. Her voice was lost. Her eyes were endless pits of confusion and joy. Her heart felt like it was colliding with her rib cage each time it beat. Blood rushed past her ears and everything seemed to haze around her. Around them both. All she saw was him. And she heard over and over again were those lovely words, that beautiful question. It was one she had not expected. It was something she'd never really considered.

How... how was she suppose to reply to this?

"Sakura, I know this is a lot to take in, if you're not ready we can--." He spoke quickly.

"Kakashi, It's not that. I want to."

"What is it then?"

"Yes, I just didn't expect it, that's all." She smiled softly. And then she frowned. All of the joy that had possessed her being was once more gone as Eon's message repeated itself in her mind. They would be leaving soon... "Remember how I told you about that bit of bad news I got today? The one I didn't want to talk about?"

"Yeah," he said.

She met his gaze again as she tightly gripped the box. "Kakashi... I'm... I'm leaving on a mission in a few days."

"So?" He said calmly. "We all do that now and then. I was wondering when you'd have another one again." He smiled, oblivious to her worry. "We can start planning the ceremony when you get back. It's no big deal."

She shook her head. "It's not like that, Crow... It's..."

"What?"

She sighed and held his gaze. Worry, sadness and a touch of loss was ridden in her eyes. She silently hoped he couldn't see it all. She didn't want him to question in too much. "Remember the mission I told you years ago that my teacher was still on? The confidential one assigned by the Third?"

He nodded, confused. "I do." He'd always thought it odd the man she spoke so fondly of years ago had never returned to Konoha. He'd always wanted to meet him.

She smiled sadly. "We got word it's slowly coming to it's peak. For a long time it's been a mere reconnaissance assignment." That much was true. "The time we've spent here in Konoha was meant to help us refine our skills to a greater level until we were ready to finally take care of the mission and complete it fully." All of that was true.

"I don't understand, Sakura. What are you trying to tell me?" She almost looked broken, her voice was wavering and he could tell she just might cry at any moment.

She smiled bitterly more than sadly this time as she looked downward. "I always knew I would have to do this one day. Even since the first moment we all stepped foot in the village. I just... I never expected to fall for you, Kakashi. And what time I've had with you I've tried to make as wonderful as possible. I don't regret any of it, I want you to know that."

He reached for her shoulders as the first set of tears started to rim her eyes and her lips quivered. "Sakura, tell me what's going on here? What does this mission have to do with us?"

The first tears splashed over the edge of her chin as they trailed down her cheeks. "This mission I'm taking, Kakashi. It won't be for a few days, weeks, months or even just a year."

He was silent as a fear crept over him as he waited for her to finish.

"I'll be gone for years," she whispered shakily. "I... I might not see you for..."

"How long," he urged, almost shaking her, his own voice trembling. If this was her way of letting him down easily after she'd said yes he... he didn't know what he'd do. He would be lost without her.

She bit her lower lip and tried to avoid his eyes, but he held true. "I don't want you to wait for me. I don't expect you to. I want you to know that, Crow."

"How _long_?" He demanded in a loud, hoarse whisper.

She closed her eyes and more tears fell with the action as she shook. "...I'm not sure... but.. I know it'll be years." She didn't have the heart to tell him how long it would really be.

He swore immediately, releasing her for fear of breaking her shoulders as he turned away and clenched his fists. He'd never heard of such a thing. Since when did a mission last more than six months, much less a year? He'd never heard of such a thing before, even in ANBU. And they went to extremes as it was.

"Kakashi?" She whispered, trembling. "I... I won't be upset with you if you don't want to marry me anymore. It's too much to ask of anyone. I knew that when I was told. And I planned on telling you soon. I just..." She stared as the back of his head. "I didn't expect you to propose today..."

His jaw clenched. "How long have you known you might have to leave for that period of time...?"

Her heart caught in her throat. She had to be honest with him about this at least. She had a feeling if she wasn't it would be terrible for the both of them. "...Since the first day I came to the village," she breathed, looking down, not willing to see the pain in his eyes if he turned to look at her.

And he did, but all the anger he felt welling inside of him over her slowly ebbed as he watched her hunched over, shoulders shaking and the tears falling like they would never stop. It appeared she hated this as much as he did. His whole face softened and his one good eye looked on her with a mix of sadness, pain, grief and empathy.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi..."

He swallowed. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

She finally looked up at him. "I love you. It was never my intention to hurt you. But the life of a shinobi is a short one. We could die on a mission at any moment or in an attack on the village. A whole new war could start up and I could lose you in a second," she whispered as she grasped his hands, velvet box held between the both.

"I wanted to make sure, no matter how much time I had left with you, it was... like nothing would change at all. Like I never really was leaving." Her lower lip was quivering again as she took in a deep, shaky breath. "And... I don't want you to wait for me. The time I've had with you is enough. It'll have to be. And when I return, if you've moved on... I'll understand, Crow."

Sakura watched his face, reading, trying desperately to find anything in the mass of hidden emotions. The mask was up again. The same one she'd seen on his face at the beginning of their friendship. The same one her Kakashi, her teacher, had always worn. She couldn't stop the few more tears that fell down her face. It was over. It had to be.

She moved to get up all of a sudden. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she tried to gather her things.

Kakashi just stared. He was frozen in place as she moved, as she spoke hurriedly, as she always did when she was truly nervous or scared about something. His heart hammered in his ears. His blood rushed like a river rapid. He was lost all over again. He was losing her. She was leaving him and he didn't know what to do. It was like that day he found his father dead all over again. It was like that day he ripped Rin away from Obito and when he'd thought he'd lost his best friend.

He panicked. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't lose someone else. Not like this. Not when he'd come so far already. So far with her. So close to finally achieving something normal. Something real in this messed up thing he called his life. He knew he would never have a normal one. No shinobi did. And no shinobi as young as he did ever came back from a war like the Third one... fully sound of mind.

But she'd _changed_ that. She made him... want again. Hope again. Strive for something more than the monotonous drill he called his life.

Panic raced through him and he reached for her just as she moved to run off. The wind picked up and he yanked on her wrist. He pulled her back down so she faced him. Tears rimmed his own eyes and the sky turned dark with some looming presence. And the rain that suddenly began to pour seemed only fitting in a moment like this.

"I won't lose you," he whispered hoarsely. "I won't. I won't lose you like I've lost everyone else."

She cried as her body became soaked in the downpour. "I have to go, Kakashi. I don't have a choice. It's what I signed up for when I became a ninja. You know that as well as I do."

He shook his head. "Let me go with you."

"I can't," she cried out between tears as he gripped her hands. "You know I can't."

His mind reached for straws. Anything he could get to do to stop her. Anything he could get to stay with her. Anything. He wanted to scream at the injustice. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. He was finally happy. He was finally at the point in his life when everything was starting to make sense. And now... now... it was all wrong all over again.

He looked down and released her hands as she stared ad the wet velvet box. He felt defeated. He could take down an army of the most deadly ninja in the shinobi world. His name was feared across the globe so much so he'd become known as the Copy Nin Kakashi. But... even after all this... he couldn't manage to keep the one thing he loved most with all his heart by his side.

But,... she was coming back... wasn't she? He stared at the box and then rapidly began to open it. He pulled out the tab that held the rings in place to looked beneath it.

"What are doing, Kakashi?"

He didn't reply right away to her. He took the two rings and began to place each one on two plain silver necklaces. "When my great, great grandmother agreed to marry my great, great grandfather she too had to wait for the same reasons I'll have to wait for you. He had a mission to go on for a few months and so he proposed to her that night before he left. She took out these very two chains from her jewelry box and placed the rings on them. One was given to him and the other to her. They wore them around their necks until he came back." Without asking her he placed the chain with a ring on it over her neck before doing much the same with his own.

"When you come back... we'll get married whenever you want to. Until then, wear this and I'll wear mine. As a promise to return." He took both her hands in his once more, the box forgotten as it fell to the ground. His eyes locked with hers. "Agreed?"

He would wait for her, she realized. He would wait. Eon was right. He'd been all along. "But.... but what if I don't come back.. for years longer than I expect? What if... what if I die, Kakashi? What if you never find out what happened to me?!" She too was trying to find straws, trying to sway him out of this craziness. He had to be insane. She couldn't do this to him!

"Then I'll never love anyone again." As she started to argue once more he interrupted her. "There never will be anyone else, Sakura! Can't you see that! I'd rather die a lonely old man with only your images to comfort me than to have anyone else again. Don't you understand? If it weren't you, there wouldn't be anyone else. I would have died a bachelor anyway," he whispered. "My mother once said after my father died, 'Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.' That's the way I feel about you. And if you don't come back... If you die..." He hated that thought, but forced himself to continue, "I'll be thankful for what you gave me," he whispered.

She reached for him, embracing him in the cold, whipping rain as she never had before. Her eyes shut tightly and he clung back to her. "I'll come back. I promise," she said back. "Even if it takes fifteen years, I'll come back to you."

"I know," he said back softly, mimicking her. "I know."

They stayed like that for a while, cold to the bone as the thunder and lightening clashed around them. As the wind whipped and the skies cried out in all her sorrow. They clung to one another as if they were afraid to let go. Love never knew such desperation. Words would never be penned to compare it to anything else. And this humble author can't possibly begin to describe how truly heartbreaking it all was. So, dear readers, if you would, imagine for a moment losing the most important thing you ever had. Grab onto it and then think to yourself how painful never seeing it again would be. And then, maybe, you might scratch the surface of this very moment. Maybe.

Sakura finally pulled back. "I want to stay with you until I leave. Every moment. I'll take the rest of the time off from the hospital and have someone else take over for me."

"Tonight. I have a few more things to wrap up in town and then we'll start at dinner. That should give you time to wrap things up at the hospital."

"Ok," she whispered before reaching out and clinging to him once more. And it wasn't until both started to shiver from the cold that they finally let go, the cries of the storm echoing their feelings more soundly than anything else.


	28. Chapter 28

**..Chapter Twenty-Eight..**

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Sakura stood in her room packing a bag with enough things for the rest of the week. Her boys weren't anywhere in sight so she was just planning leaving them a note. She knew they would understand. Naruto would blink a few times but then just shrug. Then again, he could be pretty deep on his own when he chose to... He just had a harder time of showing it than others, she supposed. And anyway, if Eon had visited with him as well she was sure he wasn't really looking forward to saying goodbye to Minato, even if he already knew.

Sasuke had his own demons to deal with. He'd spent more and more of his time with Itachi and honestly... despite all the things to come, he looked a lot better for a whole experience. The only one that appeared would really be hurting the most from this whole thing was her.... right? It's not like they were losing Itachi and Minato... _that_ was wrong. There was no real way of knowing that until they got home.

She sighed and stuffed things harder. She was just being careless, is all. Her boys had just as much to lose as she did. They might not be in love with the people they'd bonded with most, but they had to be just as unhappy about the whole thing as she was.

"Going somewhere?"

Sakura looked up and found Sasuke in her doorway. She smiled softly and went back to packing. "I'm glad I caught you before I left."

He arched a brow and stepped into her room. "Oh?"

She nodded and zipped it up. She slung the bag over her shoulder. "Ash said I'm done. She told me you guys finished up yesterday. So... it's only a matter of time before we go, right?"

His eyes narrowed and he nodded, arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm going to use the rest of my time wisely. I'll be spending the week with Kakashi. Alone." She smiled as she headed for the door. She paused next to him. She looked over at him and he caught her gaze with wisdom-filled eyes. "You should think about doing the same thing."

"I was," he replied quickly. "I take it Eon spoke with you today as well?"

She nodded. "And Naruto too. He came to me last."

Sasuke looked upward as Stalker ruffled his feathers on his shoulder. "Seems like only yesterday we were dragging Obito back home... doesn't it?"

She smiled softly as she kept her eyes on him. "Funny how we wanted to leave so bad... and now it just hurts to think about it... huh?"

He quickly looked at her. "Would you want to stay?"

She started to shake her head and then hesitated. She thought about it for a while. The idea of growing up with Kakashi... appealed to her. Even if meant all those things it shouldn't. Like avoiding herself. And if he did teach her team... well, how weird would that be for them all? No, as much as she loved him she needed to go home, she wanted to. There were people there she missed. Tsunade, Ino, her parents... And no matter how she wanted to look at it, it was where she belonged. It was where they all belonged.

She shook her head. "No. We have to go back. And no matter how you look at it, it's the right thing to do. Sometimes we have to sacrifice the needs of the few for needs of the many, right Sasuke?"

He eyed her a while before simply nodding.

"Let Naruto know where I am. And if you guys can, make sure this place is cleaned up before we go. I've got everything I want already with me here." She patted the duffel bag for emphasis. "But, please don't bother me unless it's a life or death matter. I expect Eon already knows what I'm up to and he'll probably come get me when it's time. Alright?"

"Alright, Sakura." He reached over and hugged her. "Just one thing though, ok?"

"Yeah?" She hugged back.

He smiled, closing his eyes a moment. "I'll be there for you no matter how this turns out, ok? I mean... if something happens when we get home."

She knew what he meant and it made her hug him tighter. They wouldn't say anything would happen to Kakashi. And he wasn't saying anything would happen to her. But, the same offer that would have made her jump for joy as a love struck girl just warmed her insides at his kindness. They might never love one another as lovers should, as she loved Kakashi... and it was almost sad to think he still didn't have anyone to call his own right now... However, they were friends. And to be honest, she felt closer to him after all they'd been through in the past four years than she ever had to Naruto. While the blond could be like an oblivious little brother with occasional surprise of budding wisdom, Sasuke seemed to always know what was wrong with her. No, she was wrong. It wasn't closer, it was just a different kind of closer.

"Thank you, Sasuke." Without much of another word she walked out of the room and headed out.

ooo

Kakashi waited outside the hospital for Rin's shift to finish up. He leaned back into the wall with one foot flat against it behind him. The other held him up as he tucked a hand into his pocket. His free hand held a worn orange book, reading it's all too familiar lines.

"Oh! Hey!" Rin beamed as she walked out the door with a smile. "I didn't expect you, hun. And to think I was going to run by your place just now."

He snapped the book shut and smiled, his one good eye crinkling in the traditional fashion. "Happy to have saved you some time." He tucked it under his arm as she held a folder of documents out to him.

"They're not much to look at it or read. And the techniques are fairly simple, really. You should be able to master them quickly, knowing you." She grinned. "At least before you pro..." she blinked as she gazed at the necklace about his neck. "Is that..." she pointed as she trailed off.

He took the documents and looked down where her finger aimed. His eyes trailed back up to hers and he nodded.

She beamed again. "You proposed?! Today? When? What did she say?!"

He really wanted to smile as her enthusiasm. It was quite child-like. She was happy for him.

"But why aren't you wearing it? She did say yes, didn't she?" Her happy expression quickly turned to a frown.

"She did," he replied.

She arched a brow, fully expecting to answer her previous questions.

He sighed. "Let me walk with you for a while. I'll tell you on the way."

And so he did. He repeated the entire story. He started by telling her about the lunch they had and went on to tell her about the conversation. How it started with questions about her past, her parents and then how he 'popped the question'. Her face went through a series of expressions. First she looked quite interested and thoughtful as she nodded. As he got to the middle part her eyes went wide. She looked sad and empathetic. He had to interrupt her several times when she tried to ask questions. He could tell she was worried about him. By the time he was done telling her the whole thing she looked as confused as he had when Sakura and he had first started trying to figure it out.

"Wow..." she breathed, her eyes brimming with emotion. "You're amazing you know that?" Her voice sounded as though she never knew he was really capable of it.

This time he arched a brow. "How so?"

She blinked at him stupidly and stopped walking front of a local shop. It looked like she was almost sputtering as she spoke. "_How_?" Her brow furrowed. "Are you serious?" She hissed. "How? How can you ask me that?" She shook her head like he was the world's biggest idiot. "You're going to wait for her and you don't have a damn clue when she'll be back. I don't think I've heard anything so damned romantic in my whole life. Hell, I didn't even think you were capable of it..." she shook her head again. "I hope she knows how much you love her, Hatake."

"She didn't want me to wait... she was pretty upset when I said I would."

Rin smiled knowingly. "Then she must know." Rin looked at the window and waved as Obito waved at her to hurry up. She waved back at the diner before turning to Kakashi. "I have to go. Thanks for walking me. Have fun this week, hun... And for the record... I don't think you're making a mistake. I don't know if Obito would do the same for me and I wouldn't ask him to... but..." she sighed and hugged him. "You know we'll be here for you if you need us. We always will be, ok?"

He nodded, patting her back. "I do. Now, go to him." He smiled as she returned the expression. She left after a quick peck on his cheek. He gave a warm smile, watching her go to Obito before trailing off himself.

ooo

Obito looked up from the table in the small cafe shop as Rin came to sit down. Her hospital coat was draped over the back of her chair. She smiled as him, but he could see it wasn't her normal jubilant one. He waited until she ordered her drink to ask her what was up. "You ok?" He didn't bother looking at the menu. He knew what he wanted already. He'd only been waiting for her to order.

She scanned the items on her menu. "I'm alright, but I'm not too sure about Kakashi."

He arched a brow and reached for his glass. He took a sip from the straw. "Why? Did something happen?" As far as Obito knew he'd been pretty happy lately. Mainly because he knew the guy planned on finally proposing to Sakura. Unless he already had and she'd refused him he didn't know what his best friend had to be upset about; or depressed.

"You could say that." She looked over at the waitress as she returned and gave her selection. Obito did the same after her. "He proposed today," she said, turning back to him, fingers interlaced in front of her.

"And? Did she say no?" He blinked.

Rin shook her head. "No, she said yes."

"Then what's the problem?" His lips twitched. "He should be happy. That's _good_ news."

"It would be," she said with a sigh, "if it weren't for the _bad_ news she gave him."

Obito rolled his eyes. "Quit beating around the bush already and spit it out, love. You know I hate trying to fish news out of you."

She frowned at his impatience. "This isn't the sort of thing I can just blurt out, Obito... Kakashi is very distraught. Sakura is going away on a mission. A long one."

He shrugged. "What's new about that? Weren't you saying just yesterday she was due for one because she'd been working at the hospital too long? Almost a year, right? Unless she was retired from the field or an official there's no reason for her not to get one sooner or later. She's still very young and she doesn't have any kids to look after." He grinned. "Not unless you count Sasuke and Naruto."

Rin laughed softly, despite the tone of her mood. Her fiance always knew how to shed a smile on a bad situation, no matter how grim the feeling. "If it were only that simple. She won't be gone for a few months or weeks, Obito. It'll be years, from what I was told. And she doesn't even know how many."

He blinked at her like he didn't believe her. He didn't either. He could be a prankster at times but Rin could be known for getting him back in her own sneaky way. This had to be her idea of getting him back for hiding her fuzzy slippers a week ago.

He smirked and rested one forearm on the table as the other hung other back of the chair. He leaned forward slightly and tapped his fingers. "Cute. Real cute. Nice one though, I have to admit you had me for a second. No shinobi is ever assigned a few years long mission unless it's during a war. And we're not at war anymore."

She grumbled softly. "I'm not lying to you, Obito! This isn't a joke..." She huffed slightly, irritated as she crossed her arms over her chest. "She really is leaving for a few years. Her whole team is to finish up that mission her teacher is on."

He blinked again as he heard the earnestness in her voice. "You really aren't kidding are you?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, dope." She huffed again, more frustrated.

He pursed his lips, moving back into his former seating position as he thought. "But... why? What could be so important about this mission? Does Minato know?"

She shrugged. "I assume so. Otherwise they wouldn't be leaving, right? If they didn't let him know they'd be classified as missing nin and hunted down. No, I'm sure he knows and I'm positive he approved the mission. Well, the Third did, anyway, before he died."

He frowned, thinking.

"But you know what's funny about all this?"

"What?"

She narrowed her eyes and looked about the cafe as if to make sure no one was listening to them. Once she was sure, she leaned in close to talk. Her voice was low. "You know all those reports about S-Class missions that get filed away and sealed? The ones for the Hokage's eyes only?"

He nodded, his own eyes narrowing.

She looked again and turned her violet-brown depths back to him. "The ones on the mission about Sakura and her team were burned. So, even if anyone wanted to know what it was about? You couldn't find out."

He blinked once more at her admission. "How do you know that?"

"Because," she whispered, "I overheard Kushina-sama and Minato-sensei saying it one day."

"You're not one to eavesdrop, Rin," he muttered in chastisement.

"I wasn't! She hissed. "I just happened to be taking some documents from the hospital to the Hokage office for Minato-sensei to look over. When I got to the door it was cracked open. And before I went in, I heard them say something about it. Then I went in. Anyway," she continued, concerned, "it's odd. Even they said so. Since when have you ever heard of S-Class mission reports, even sealed ones, being burned?"

He pondered that a while. It was true it never happened. Even the mission reports from the Interrogation Unit were never burned or thrown away. Many of them were kept hidden in a secret place in Konoha. No one knew where but the council and the Hokage, but there you had it. But what was she getting at?

"What are you trying to say, Rin?"

"I don't know... but, don't you think it's weird? I know the Third was a good man. He was Jiraiya's teacher before Jiraiya taught Minato sensei; before Minato-sensei taught us. But, for what reason would anyone ever have to burn documents? At least, unless they were trying to hide something, right?"

Obito narrowed his eyes. "You're looking into this too much, Rin. Sakura's team is a good one. They've always been wonderful to us. They saved my life. And I personally think if it hadn't been for all the stuff Sakura had taught you, you never would have been able to save Kushina's life the night Naruto, her son mind you, was born." He frowned. "We're shinobi. We all have something to hide. Whatever their secret is, it can't be bad. They fought for Konoha, after all. They're loyal Leaf ninja. Are doubting them? Now?"

She was now the one frowning. Obito's words did make her feel a little guilty. But, it couldn't be helped. She was just worried about Kakashi. "I doun't doubt them all at. Least of all Sakura. But... I'm also worried about Kakashi." She sighed. "We've never met their teacher before, even after the war stopped. All shinobi were ordered back to Konoha after it to report in. As afar as we know, he never did." Her eyes narrowed again. "I mean, have you even ever heard them say his name? Once?"

"Well... no... does it matter?" Rin wasn't exactly instilling doubt in his heart, but he wished to ease her worry. "Maybe he's ANBU root."

"That's just a rumor," she muttered. "Even my mother says there's no such organization. The whole idea is silly."

"Whatever," he replied, "it's not the point. I'm trying to say is maybe whatever their mission is it's so classified that not even we can know their teacher's name. Maybe it's integral to keeping Konoha safe, you know? For all we know, it could be integral to each and every life in the village." He paused. "Was Sakura sad about leaving?"

She paused too, but finally nodded, her voice soft as she spoke. "Kakashi said she didn't want him to wait for her..."

"Well," he began, "there you have it. You and I both know how much she loves him; how much they love each other. If this all really was one big thing to worry about... or if she was hiding something bad for the village, would she have really told him that? Sakura isn't the type to use anyone. We would have picked up on that after a while. At least after four years." He sighed and took her hands, meeting her worried gaze. He knew she was sad for Kakashi. And she had to be equally sad for Sakura. Them both. "She saved my life, love. My life. Without her and those two team mates of hers I wouldn't be here with you know." He smiled slightly. "And for all we know the whole team would have been broken to bits. Hell, you might have even joined ANBU yourself just to escape the pain. And then what? You never would have been there for Kushina. She might have died and Minato would have no one. And where would that leave Kakashi? Hell, all of us?"

He gave the grip he had on her hands a slight squeeze, not for once realizing how right his words might be, how true. After all, they were only the musing of a kind, lazy and strong hearted boy trying to comfort his lover.

"It'll be fine, Rin. He has us both to make sure he doesn't fall between the cracks when she goes; when they all go. And if it makes you feel any better, we'll go talk to sensei this afternoon, alright?"

She slowly nodded. "Ok.. " She smiled sadly. "Thank you. Even if that theory sounds... insane, it's still nice to know you think so highly of me. Any medical nin could have saved her life..."

He laughed as their food arrived and released her hands. "Modest as always."

ooo

Sakura sat comfortably in front of a large bay window, curled up with a blanket in her pajamas as she watched the rain start up all over again. Thunder and lightening struck across the skies as she leaned her head on the window pane. The ground floor window seat overlooked the back yard and the white, wooden gazebo in the middle of it.

She smiled softly, sadly, as she looked through the haze of rain patting against the window and down at the small garden she'd worked on over the years. The one his mother use to tend to. There were so many memories there. Of laying in the grass, of running under the cover of the gazebo in a storm much like this; laughing, kissing and holding each other just after the long mission in Snow...

She sighed.

Many years ago in her own time she recalled the mission they'd all gone on to save the young princess in the Land of Snow. Only that day, it hadn't just been Kakashi running away with a young girl in the back of a sled ran by dogs. No, it had been her as well, clutching the girl to her chest and telling her not to worry; that all would be well. That one day she would be able to come home. Because she already knew. Because she had already saved her as a young Genin in the future.

Her bare fingers reached up and her palm flattened against the glass.

There were so many memories. Were you to have asked her four and a half, maybe five years ago if she would ever become an ANBU medical nin Sakura might have laughed at the idea. Not because she didn't think it possible, although it was, but because her place had always been in the hospital, taking over for Tsunade when she died. Her place would one day be to become director because Shizune never really wanted it.

But... she liked ANBU. She liked it probably as much as the loved working in the hospital. When she got home, if she ever won Kakashi's heart there, she would go through the exam again. Hiding the tattoo on her left upper arm would be a tad too hard; at least all her life.

She was sure Tsunade would approve, if she was there. Her teacher had always had high expectations of her. She'd be concerned, but happy. She'd probably give her a run down of all the risks, not knowing Sakura knew each one by heart. Every ANBU had to. There was no room for mistakes, especially as an ANBU medical nin. They were expected to not only watch out, protect and help their team mates... but to also keep an eye on their own ass.

She closed her eyes and let her hand fall, settling herself more comfortably.

She had no idea what to expect in the coming days. None of them did. She didn't know how much time she had left here and she didn't care. Because it would be with him.

She'd mastered the technique Ash had taught her. That combined with what Naruto and Sasuke could do, and once they former a proper plan of attack, meant nothing was going to stop them from taking out the mysterious enemy. Nothing. After that? They could all finally relax and go home.

They might be walking into more of a mess than when they left. Who knew. But once more, she was reminded that Eon had told her it would all be ok. And that nothing would really be changed from what should be, by their interference. But what did it mean? Surely, he didn't mean whatever they were doing was how it was suppose to be. While Eon had told her their interference would not cause much of a change, at least not much of one that wasn't needed, she still had her questions.

What would become of Tsunade? Sasuke had asked her that once. Would Rock Lee still be injured by Gaara? And would that in turn mean Naruto would still have to travel with Jiraiya to find her? Because, it Itachi changed, of which she wasn't sure, he wouldn't cause the massacre. He wouldn't leave Konoha a missing nin. Which meant he wouldn't leave Sasuke and Kakashi unconscious for days after the attack his Sharingan would deal to them.

There was so much to think about, in truth. For one, Naruto wouldn't be an Uzumaki anymore. He would be a Namikaze. The Fourth's son. And even if Minato died in the fight with Orochimaru... he would still have been there for much of Naruto's life... the village would have never hated him. If that were true... well... hell... what would that mean for Gaara? Naruto had gotten through to him because he was so much like him. Would that still be the case? Would Orochimaru still kill the Kazekage? Would Gaara still become the next one?

Her eyes drifted open.

What of Neji and the Hyuuga clan? Naruto had always said he would one day abolish the slave tradition of the clan. Would Minato eventually do that instead?

How many lives would be affected by all the changes... And were those changes actually how it was suppose to be? She could only assume so. She could only guess that whatever happened it to be way it was suppose to happen. Eon had said as much. But, she had to wonder... whatever it was 'suppose' to be... was it better?

_Yes..._

It had to be, her mind cried out. It had to be.

Her eyes suddenly drifted up as she heard a door click open to the second story bedroom. She smiled warmly at him as she stood. She didn't once pause to say anything as she went to his arms, bathing in his warmth.

Moments... that's all that mattered. It's all she had to live for. Doubts... problems... questions... concerns... she would deal with all those things after they defeated the enemy; after they returned home. For now, she was his and he was hers. And whatever time was left to them they would make the best of.


	29. Chapter 29

**..Chapter Twenty-Nine..**

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He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of her hair deeply. He tangled his fingers in her short strands, hands shaking. Could it really be helped? The whole day was weighing on him. Even now, even in this moment he felt like he was slowly saying goodbye to her. Every caress, every touch, every graze of his lips across her hairline was a slow and silent whisper goodbye. She could leave tonight, tomorrow, hell... in a few hours for all he knew. It was enough to make any man want to cry, to weep in anguish. Promise or not, Rin and Obito or not, he would still feel so broken without her.

He crushed her harder to his form, inhaling as his eyes shut tighter. He felt her do much the same and knew the feeling, the tone, was the same. The desperation that had been there earlier in the garden was once more back.

He hadn't rushed home right away. He'd been right when he said he had other things to tend to. And even after the rain had paused earlier that afternoon the gloomy tides of a storm had still lingered about; signaling his mood. He'd went to see his teacher, Minato, and talk to him. The man already knew the trio were leaving sometime in the week. He'd already written up the approvals and leaves of absence to prevent them from being hunted after. He felt bad for Kakashi, but not much could be said about the whole thing. What could be really? There was nothing his teacher could do about it. Like Sakura said, this was the burden she'd agreed to when becoming a shinobi. It was the same one he'd agreed to. The same one every ninja did. And even if the reports had been burned, the Third's orders were clearly written into his will. When the time came and Sakura, as team leader, told the Fourth it was time for her team to go she would be allowed to. And since the old man wasn't there for them to question the insanity over it they had no choice but to agree.

Kakashi took a little more time to indeed read over the files Rin had given him. And she'd been right. The techniques were not anything he didn't know how to do. Mainly, they were just a briefing over what he could do already with just a tad more creativity. He wasn't sure if or even when he would use them... because in truth they were invented up for seduction missions...

But hell, if he got the chance... he would do everything in his power to make it wonderful for her. As wonderful for her as it had been for him over the years by just being with her.

He could feel her fingers trailing along his back, dancing and pressing into the skin beneath his tight shirt. He'd dumped the arm guards and armor near the front door when he'd come in. He'd looked in nearly every room for her. But it wasn't surprising to find her in his room, his parents old room, forlornly looking out the window and at the falling rain. Sakura had always been so deep, so unreachable sometimes it almost hurt. So much like him. That was probably what drew him to her the most at first. In many ways she reminded him already of the person he wanted to grow into; that he wanted to be for her.

Kakashi had been right when he told her he felt like he was always basking in her shadow. Sakura, in his opinion, no matter what she said, was so much more talented than he was. Everytime he learned a new technique he taught it to her. And even without the Sharingan she appeared to master it with amazing speed. Her chakra control was unfathomable. It was what made her such a great shinobi... and as far as he was concerned, a much better Jounin or ANBU team leader than he. How could he ever learn her level of humility, leadership and strength?

He refused to sigh, he refused to regret and he refused to do anything more than hold her. Her skin was soft, her hair was silk and her breath on his neck made him want so much more. His insides were a wreck. He didn't even want to speak. He felt if he did, it would ruin this moment. Words were messy and sometimes unneeded. Usually, in his opinion.

He continued to run his fingers through her short, cotton candy, pink strands. He continued to breathe short, shaky breaths as she held him. It wasn't the cold that had him like that, it was everything that revolved around her. He was scared. He was sure, if it was any other girl, if this was just romp he'd being doing to get his virginity over and done with, he wouldn't be this nervous. But it wasn't just any girl. Sakura wasn't just some lady of the night that most young shinobi picked up in order to get the silly thing out of their system. And not just men, women ninja as well. There was no place in this sort career much anymore for the inexperienced. Especially when you might have be assigned a seduction mission. Usually, you volunteered for them. But it didn't matter. No right minded ninja wanted to be, even if they were, a virgin.

But he was, he remained one, for her. Because he didn't want anyone else. And he couldn't see having this first moment with anyone else but her. To some it might seem like a good idea to get some experience under you belt so you could make it better. It was a stigma he didn't care about. No matter how this went he would make it good for her. Being virginal in body didn't mean you had to remain uneducated. And that was something he wasn't. For her.

He didn't know if she wanted to right now, or even when. Kakashi had never been one to act first in regards to her, placing her needs and wants above his own. The only thing he'd ever initiated first was that kiss on the wall. He'd learned over time it was better that way with Sakura. He didn't mind her starting, leading or dictating what they did intimately.

He was just a boy... in love with a girl. The only girl he ever would love.

He felt her pull back and he didn't stop her as she pulled on the hem of his shirt, tugging it out of his pants and over his head. His short, yet lengthy strands hushed a whisper along with the fabric. He watched as she dropped it to the floor. He didn't say a word as she ran her hands over his face, his lips, jawline and cheeks. No matter how many times she saw it, Sakura never seemed without awe when she got to view his features. He couldn't help the small, upward twitch up his lips. It was faint enough even she didn't catch it, his own silent secret in regards to her quirks, as so many others.

He stood there as she reached for the belt around the loops of his pants, unbuckling it and tossing it aside. Her watched as she unbuttoned and allowed for the blue fabric to fall. That too was swept aside along with his sandals and wraps as she undid them as well. And when he was nude before her, for the first time in his life in a position of embarrassment, in front of her unmasked in both the literal and metaphorical sense, he didn't blush.

Instead, he stood still, with a thoughtful, but unreadable expression as she took him all in. Her eyes trailed across his body. He could tell she was drinking in every inch of him, just as he always did to her when she wasn't looking. And after she was done her eyes fell on his. Once more, they said nothing.

Kakashi took a slowly step forward. He looked at her questionably as he reached for the hem of the pajama top she wore. He paused, waiting for something, anything, that told him it was ok to proceed. When she finally nodded he slowly lifted it up, his eyes not once leaving hers. The contact was broken only momentarily by her shirt. And that item, much like the his clothes, was tossed aside. He inhaled sharply at the look of her small, pert, and as far as he was concerned... lovely breasts. But, again, his eyes drew to hers. Eyes he could drown in. He reached for her hips, bare hands sliding across her flesh. His forehead touched hers and his lips brushed her own as his eyes half closed.

He wanted to tell her how lovely she was. He wanted to tell her how perfect she was. He wanted to say so many things. But, it wasn't important. None of it was. Because both of them already knew it. They had already memories of every detailed feeling.

As his hands stopped on her thighs the material of her pants fell and she stepped out of them. He imagined she'd planned this all along because she had no underwear on.

His eyes stared into hers still, drowning in her beautiful green orbs. He wasn't scared anymore. He wasn't nervous. And neither of them were shaking. Wise men said when the time was right, all good things came into being. And maybe that's what this was, the right time.

He curled his arms around her, lips crashing against hers as her breasts burned into his chest, sending a rush of thrills across his goose-bumping flesh. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he lifted her. The strom crashed against the window and the lights suddenly went out. But they didn't care. He didn't see it. And it wasn't important. But, the light illuminating them both from the outside waves of mother natures seemed to signal and cry out in pleasure and pain to them both.

They fell onto the softness of the mattress, Kakashi on top of her, loving her with his hands, his lips, his hot breath all over her body. He couldn't get enough of her. And all his late night fantasies, dreams, visions were not enough to do this moment justice. He hadn't expected it. And he'd told himself he would only do it if and when she wanted to. But here they were. Equals. Just as they always were.

It was passionate. It was magnetic. And it was like a fire he'd never known. But it wasn't the same as all those things you heard about sex with the one you loved most, lusted. No, it was so much better because they'd been friends for so long. They knew each other better than anyone else. He inherently knew what she would want. When she moved he moved. When he kissed she submitted. And when she wanted more, he gave it to her.

And finally, panting and tormented, when he felt as if neither of them could take anymore he opened both of his eyes, pulling back just as he stationed himself above her entrance; thick and hard with need. Her eyes locked with his. He still didn't want to speak. But he wanted to ask her if it was alright. She wouldn't know about what he intended to do. However, she must have known he wanted to do something. Because, breathing heavily, passionately, blood on fire and blushing red from their foreplay, she nodded on confirmation.

Kakashi plunged forward, activating Obito's gift. The tombs spun like a whirlwind and he nearly gasped. No he did. And so did she as he began the jutsu. Rin had never said he would feel it too, damn her. And the documents never said as much either. Either he'd done it the wrong way, or he'd discovered a new way to use the technique.

"Kami," he breathed as he moved, no longer able to keep silent. It was the only word spoken as she wrapped her legs and arms about him, nails digging into his back. But she never broke contact with his eyes. Not once. When she writhed so did he. When she cried out he nearly screamed in bliss. When she arched, he felt everything. Every bloody damned bit of it. How he held it all in, how he kept from bursting on the spot he'd never know.

He ground against her clit with the wall of solid bone above his length, sending a shock through not only her body each time he moved, but his as well. Sweat trickled down his form. Down hers. It soaked the sheets. They panted, they grunted, they cried out and swayed in a dance more attune than any before it.

He felt her slowly tighten. Oh gods... she was climaxing. She was climaxing and not only could he feel her wet core doing so, but he could feel what it felt like for her too. It wasn't just his own climax starting to kill him, rush at him, but her's as well. He didn't know whether he wanted to kill Rin or kiss the ground she walked on. He was sure, for a first experience... this had to top some sort of chart.. somewhere.

He didn't bother pulling out as he came, crying her name as he did his. He gripped onto her hand, lacing his fingers through her own desperately, spilling his seed within her. He died that moment, as he locked his lips with hers, stifling both their screams further. His every nerve was on fire. Every euphoric color bursting in front of his eyes felt a thousand times more real. He didn't have anything to compare it to... but he was sure he might before the week was over. Because if they kept doing it this way both of them were going to be dead.

Words were still lost. And they remained that way even after he pulled out, eyes locked with hers. Her smile was faint and he returned it. His kissed her knuckles. He wiped the sweat from her face. And when he kissed her again he was sure there was not going to ever be a more tender moment recorded in his life.

They curled up in one another, basking in the euphoria under the sheets. They took comfort in each other arms many more times that night as the rain pelted the windows. And even when the storm slowly stopped and the moon came out, shinning through the bay window, they still didn't leave the bed. And it was no real surprise when they completely forgot about dinner.

ooo

The days passed on. One turned into two and two turned into three. Three finally turned to more. Before either of them knew it a week was up. They didn't leave the house. They hardly left the bed. They touched, caressed, kissed and loved. As the the time passed, flowed, they had memorized each other bodies, worshiped them in a way that was poetic. Normal people would recall certain things about a person they loved sexually. A birthmark, a scar, a color in their eyes. But as ninja, a well trained shinobi, and two more in love than any other before them as far as they were concerned and ones on the brink of breaking contact with one another for years... they knew each other like Kakashi knew his first Icha Icha book by heart.

He found she loved having that spot on her lower back caressed, her skin whispered across with his lips and hands as he just barely grazed. He loved to watch her arch beneath him. He loved to watch her cry out his name. And he adored each time she touched him. All the nervousness he'd once held around her, at least like this, was gone.

Sakura smiled softly and found he enjoyed it a little too much when she ran her fingers through his hair, half digging into his scalp. She loved his body as she had for no other man. She made him do things, feel things, react in ways she never thought she could get anyone to. Like any man he enjoyed it when she went down on him just as much as she enjoyed him doing the same to her. And yet, it was so much more. So much different. So... insanely electric she couldn't get enough of it. And even when the week slowly started to come to it's end, she found even after the all the sex, she still wanted more. A lifetime would not be enough to memorize his body, his movements and all his reactions to her.

They were addicted to one another, each the other's unfathomable drug. And Sakura knew... the withdrawal was going to kill them both. It wasn't just the sex. Everything about their relationship had grown stronger since they'd taken that step. Part of her almost wished they hadn't. Because she knew leaving now hurt all the more. Still, she didn't, she wouldn't, regret any of it. It's the one thing she refused to do.

She reached down as she watched his sleeping form. She caressed his face, the knuckles of her hand running down his half scared cheek as she smiled sadly, half frowning. And when she saw the small flash of light behind her just at the stroke of midnight from the clock on the wall, she didn't dare turn around, already knowing who it was. She'd dressed over an hour ago after he'd fallen asleep into her ANBU uniform. Her bag was packed at the foot of the bed.

"It's time, Blossom."

"I know," she whispered, still caressing. She forced Eon to wait a moment longer. Her eyes closed in pain and a single tear fell down her soft cheek. She leaned down and the drop fell to his own. It rolled off and splashed against the pillow as she gave his lips a soft kiss.

She pulled back, pushing strands from her eyes. She didn't look as she swiftly turned. She was fast as she grabbed her bag and wiped her welling eyes, "Let's go," she ordered in a whispered tone that reflected the pain she was trying to hide.

Eon paused a moment, as if he were going to say something. But he must have thought better of it because he only nodded, eyes closing. "As you wish." He waved his hand, brilliant light starting to glow. He watched as Sakura couldn't help but look one last time, even as she faded from existence, tears trying not to fall as she left the man she loved with her whole being behind.

It wouldn't be for hours later that Kakashi woke up... alone and nearly confused. All he would find would be a note on his nightstand, a single apology scrawled there. A goodbye. The only thing he would be left with, nearly unknown to himself, would be her scent and what was left of her tear on his face. And when it all finally sunk in, he would drag his fingers through his hair, nearly ripping... and cried his eyes out.


	30. Chapter 30

**..Chapter Thirty..**

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When next the brilliant flash of light of light faded for Sakura and she was completely gone from the bedroom she'd shared with Kakashi and her vision slowly started to clear. She found herself once more in the abyss of black and blue. Naruto and Sasuke were in front of her, both with facial expressions of a mix of sadness and joy. They'd been doing a lot of that for the last month; feeling both sad and happy. All because they had no idea what they'd be going home to.

Sakura looked over at Eon. "What's the next step?" She wanted to get to the heart of the matter, kick some ass and get home.

Eon on nodded, hands characteristically behind his back as he spoke to them all. "I won't dress this up with a bunch of nice or pretty words. We've done that enough over the years."

"No pep talk?" Naruto smirked humorously.

"No," he replied, half smiling back. "You don't need it."

All three of them nodded seriously, bags slung over their shoulders or backs.

Eon took in a deep breath. "Your teachers taught you how to jump through time, did they not?" As they nodded again he looked over to Sasuke and smiled. "Well then, Revealer, you know what to do, don't you?"

"I do."

"Good. The only real question I have is, I suppose, do you have a plan?"

"We do, Eon-sama. At least the basics of one," she said and exhaled softly. "But then it can't be a sure fire one considering we don't know what to expect."

"I understand," he replied. "However, trust me when I say, with what I've gifted you with, this battle should be no problem. And the only thing I ask of you is not to kill him, if you can help it. The importance of keeping him from doing this anymore is just as important. So, if it comes down to it I won't fault you for destroying him." His smile was a sad one once more. "But do make an effort, alright?"

"Yes, Eon-sama," Sakura responded, not really knowing what else to say.

Eon held his hands out before him. "Well, there's nothing more to add, other than good luck." He bowed to them all and stepped back.

It was then Sasuke turned back to them all three. Sakura nodded at him. "It's time. Are you ready?"

"More ready than I'll eve be," Sasuke replied and smirked. "Are you?"

She smiled. "Yes." And then she turned to Naruto. "You?"

He chuckled. "Let's get this show on the road, eh?" He crackled his knuckles and waited.

Sasuke nodded back at them both. He inhaled just as both his and Stalker's eyes moved to close. He brought his hands forward and began to move through the long series of hand signs he recalled like any other. Usually, most jutsus required a few hand signs. Not too many as far as he could remember. However, the one he'd been taught, for this, required over a series of fifteen in perfect order. One mistake, he'd been told, could seriously fuck you up. And he'd had to memorize the hand signs before even considering using them in conjunction with chakra.

As he came to the last one his eyes flashed open. A circle of white flared around their feet and in an instant the world around them changed. It was almost like looking at a negative of a photo, accept the only two colors were blue and white in thousands of shades. He watched and Sakura and Naruto looked about. Before them were hundreds upon hundreds of lines leading off in too many directions to count. Sasuke looked, feeling out each and every line on the floor just as he'd been taught for the last two years. The image of the mysterious man was a strong one in his mind. Naruto and Sakura knew not to bother him until he found what he was searching for.

It took a few minutes more. But when he found it, the line lit up black like a switch going on. "There," he whispered harshly and pointed, Sharingan blazing his eyes and tombs swirling mercilessly.

"Good job, Sasuke," Sasuke returned. "Now, Naruto, take my hand. Sasuke, take his. I'll preform the travel jutsu." Both men nodded, doing as she asked. She gripped Naruto's hand a little too tightly. Her free hand came to her chest, and much like Sasuke she went through a series of perfected and lengthy hand signs. When she came to the final one she could feel the chakra flow from her body; from all their bodies connected through their hands. Then, that bright blue chakra, red from Naruto, her and Sasuke trailed out from their feet and raced on down the black line. All three closed their eyes simply because they could nothing else.

The rush they felt was like no other. It were as though one was moving the speed of light. So quickly you couldn't open your eyes even if you wanted to. It went on for what felt like hours to each of them. Sakura's insides spun, her head reeled and just when she thought she might throw up... everything settled.

She waited a while longer before opening her eyes and slowly, ever so slowly, she released Naruto's hand. When she looked about, it was with a shocked expression she gauged the environment around her. "Sasuke... where have you brought us?" The question was a silly one. Sasuke had merely found the way. It was Sakura, just as well as he and Naruto who'd brought them all there.

He blinked, turning and shading his eyes from the bright sunlight. "I'm not sure...."

"I am," Naruto said with unparalleled determination. He pointed and they followed his gaze in the forest. Both looked and their eyes went wide at the sight of Konoha's walls not too far in the distance... a large snake crashing against it's barrier.

"Sasuke--!"

"I'm already on it," he muttered, moving to do yet another series of hand signs. The whole operation on his part was a lot quicker than the last one. And this time neither Sakura or Naruto could see what he was doing behind those shut eyes.

"Well?" Naruto asked as he started to open his eyes.

He looked over at Sakura. "Our first Chuunin exam, Sakura." His eyes drifted to the snake and crumbling walls, narrowing. "Orochimaru is attacking..."

Her own depths of cool green narrowed in return. She didn't have time to think about this. Eon hadn't told them to do anything here other than stop the enemy in black. And that's exactly what she intended to do. "Fine. Where is he? Can you find him? We don't have time to worry about anything else."

Naruto nodded. "If we landed right here he can't be too far away, right, Sasuke?"

"He's not..." Sasuke trailed off, still slightly connected to the layline that led him to this place. "Stalker can still smell him." He pointed off in another direction moments later. "He tells me that way."

When Naruto started to run off Sakura stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Wait, we can't go running around here like we did back then. We might run into ourselves... right?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes and paused. "So, what do you expect us to do? We still have to stop him, Sakura."

She nodded. "I know that." She released his arm and took her bag off her shoulders and started to dig through it. Once done, she produced two black cloaks with hoods and two porcelain masks. She handed them to each of her team. "Put these on. And follow my lead if anyone questions us, alright?"

They nodded, realizing what she intended to do as she mimicked their movements, but only with her own mask of porcelain. "You might not know how an ANBU unit operates. So, if we get stopped by anyone, which I doubt we will, just shut up and let me do the talking, clear?"

They nodded and without another moment to lose, they were off in a blur. The green of the trees became a haze of color. It mixed with brown. When they were younger they'd been fast, or so she'd thought. But, as time had passed for them all with their teachers and in the past, they'd gotten so much faster. Each movement was clean, each step was silent. Where they once would have left marks in the bark behind them with each blasted chakra fueled step, they left nothing. There was not one shred of evidence indicating their presence had once been there. Which was good, if one considered what time they were jumping around in.

"Sasuke," Sakura began next to him. Naruto was on the other side of her. "Can you still find him?"

He nodded. "Stalker can see him now." Sasuke's eyes were swirling hues of red and black spinning in an abyss behind his mask. He'd sent the bird ahead moments ago to keep an eye on their target. "But, you're not going to like it."

"Why?" Her tone was serious, commanding.

His jaw tightened. "Remember when we fought against Gaara? All of us? Naruto too. When he summoned Gama?"

She nodded.

He looked over at her when he next spoke. "That's where he's headed. Towards us. The us in this time."

She blinked.

"But," Naruto asked, voice filled with disbelief, "if he wanted to destroy Leaf, like we thought, why not just go after Minato? I thought..."

"I did too," Sakura admitted. They all had when they'd first entered this time and place. Why would he be going to them... so much younger... unless.. Her eyes went wide and she quickened her movements. "We have to hurry."

Naruto was the first to catch on. "You don't mean..."

"Yes," Sasuke finally joined in, meeting her speed as the reality set in. "He intends to kill us in the past. In this correct version of time."

Pink strands whipped about her masked face as she sped onward. Confidence and the will to succeed raced through her system. She knew when they'd went back everything in the mucked up version of time would no longer exist. So all three of them knew their present, correct, selves wouldn't be going back in time like they had. They would have no reason to anymore. That reality, the false one, was gone. They were the only memories of that lost place, gone place, still lingering about. In a way, they truly did exist outside of time right at this moment.

So, the real question was... what could he be thinking by doing all this? Killing their past selves wouldn't change anything. She didn't need to be a Time Guardian to know that.

So.... why?

ooo

A long, sleek, black coated creature almost pranced through the forest. White fangs protruded from her deadly jaws as she panted. Her movements were not quiet, but rather predatory and curious. She was on the hunt. Next to her, a tall man with long ebony strands, tied back gazed down at her. His eyes narrowed as both he and the creature inhaled the scents in the air.

Screams and sounds of fighting could be heard in the background while they moved. A light from the sun broke through the clouds and the lush branches of the trees above him. As this happened a light reflected on a ring on his right ring finger. A symbol of kanji was inscribed there. The word was Vermilion and the band was silver.

Both the animal of sleek black and the man stopped as as they heard a crash and boom before them. Ebony and amber eyes, both sets, narrowed as they used a camouflage jutsu and moved forward silently. Past the underbrush, past the sticks and vines and further into the shadows as they neared the fight before them both.

They paused, concealing their scent and presence in the bushes as both eyes connected with the scene before them. They crouched low. The female animal growled softly and her ears drew back.

"Shh," he whispered, "quiet, Lilith."

A cry struck out and he watched as his younger brother was essentially outgunned by the changing Sand nin. Earth and rock closed about the red head's body and his own face remained impassive as the pinked haired shinobi, his brother's team mate, was trapped under the brunt of Gaara's attack.

His eyes narrowed. However, nothing was really revealed about he or Lilith felt; even as the blond jumped in and began to do something about the fight. His lips twitched slightly and he smirked in what one could assume was an almost cruel, if not, cocky manner.

The big cat looked up at him with what could be considered an arched eyebrow. He looked down at her, mimicking her facial expression. "What?" He frowned as she narrowed her eyes in a knowingly. "It'll be fine. We have more important things to do right now. My brother can wait."

She snorted and he rolled his eyes. They watched the fight a while longer before simply turning about and moving on with their own 'mission'.

ooo

Red pools narrowed. Swathed ebony fluttered in the darkness as he waited. The moment was upon him. All he had to do was wait. As soon as the blond son of Minato fell to the ground exhausted he'd make his move.

Those damned little brats. They'd ruined everything for him. Right after the fight with the two boys he'd went off to lick his wounds privately. Regardless of how it had seemed they'd hurt him pretty bad. Naruto's Gravity Binding technique messed up his insides. He'd dealt with internal bleeding for a few weeks after that.

His hands tightened into fists.

Nothing was the same anymore. Nothing! Everything was as it had been before when he'd lost it all. His team of the best missing nin the world could conjure, his dreams, his goals... it was all gone. That was why he had to do this. To change that.

Even if killing them didn't change what he'd tried to for the few years to come... what it would change in the final outcome for him. This was the last resort, the final idea. He'd only planned on doing it if he had no other way to make things work. If he accomplished this...

He chuckled darkly in all his insanity.

And there was no way for Eon to stop him now. Surely, the old man knew, even if he sent those kids here he'd feel him do it. He knew the old man's chakra signature by now. And any time he ran a burst of it across the laylines of time he felt it. No, he wouldn't risk it. No matter what happened... nothing would stop him. He would kill Uchiha Sasuke, Namikaze Naruto and Haruno Sakura.

His eyes blinked back to the fight as he heard a crash. His lips twisted into a sneer. Now, now was his chance. Naruto was slowly crawling towards Gaara, spouting all that stupid nonsense about friends and his shinobi way. Sasuke was worn out from what he'd not been able to do. And Sakura? She was out cold.

He slowly stepped out of the shadows, chakra rippling about him as he revealed himself. He took a few short steps between Gaara and Naruto. He blocked the boy's slowl crawl and looked down at him.

Blue eyes met with his hidden ones and he sneered downward.

"Who..." Naruto narrowed his twelve year old eyes. Not another enemy... he couldn't do anything else. He looked over at Sasuke, and locked his eyes with his. His lips moved, "I'm sorry, Sasuke... I just... I wasn't good enough, bastard..."

From the tree above the ebony haired male growled, clutching his bleeding side. "Don't say that, damnit! Don't, dropout! Sakura needs us. She needs you!" But even he felt the helplessness of the moment. He turned his Sharingan blazing eyes to man in black. "Leave him alone! So help me if you..."

"What?" The man in black laughed darkly. "You'll do what? Cry? Scream at me?" He laughed loudly. "You're worse for wear than he is, boy! You. Can't. Do. _Anything_." He continued to chuckle. "All is mine! Finally!" He reached down, even as Sasuke, young Sasuke, cried out for him to stop, and grabbed Naruto by the front of his shirt. He grinned cruelly as Naruto gripped onto his wrist for leverage weakly. "You die here, boy. The legacy of the Trinity dies here!"

He puled his free hand back and a blade flew out of the sleeve of his coat. He grabbed it with his hand and pulled back to strike. "This is going to be so much better for me than it will be for you, Red Demon." He plunged forward, aiming for his stomach as a cry shot out, a scream of a friend, echoed in the forest.

Moments passed, seconds. It went on for ages and everyone held their breath. Naruto's face contorted into one of fear, pain and confusion. He blinked a few times and looked down. There, curling around the blade of the weapon, stopping it, was a vine of sand. He inhaled sharply as the man in black turned to look at Gaara. Naruto did as well. His eyes were wide as the red head held a hand out, controlling the sand with a contorted look.

"Why...?" The blond whispered.

Gaara smirked and it was the first real expression of half humor he'd seen on his face since he encountered the deadly Sand shinobi. But the words that left his mouth in the form of an excuse were the same ones he'd heard Sasuke say so long ago in Wave.

"I don't know... my body just moved on it's own... Fox..." His hand wavered and his eyes slowly blinked shut. A moment later, his hand dropped and he fell unconscious.

"Gaara..." Naruto breathed... "Gaara?" His body rushed with fear. His mind wedged with fear. Goosebumps crept along his flesh at the idea of the boy being dead. No... "Gaara!" He struggled weakly in the man's grip, trying to get loose and help the boy who'd saved his life, to get to him. "_Gaara!_" His voice cred in pain ad his eyes shut tightly, trying to quell his tears. All was lost. He was going to die here. All of his friends, his team mates, and someone he'd assumed was his enemy minutes ago was going to die. No!

"Well, now that that warm and fuzzy moment is over with... where were we?" He looked to be almost be thinking, even in the darkness of his hood. "Oh yes," he said jubilantly, "killing you." The blade, no longer held by sand, was pulled back and he moved to strike again.

However, something, as far as Naruto was concerned, unexpected happened. It all came so fast he wasn't sure what to make of it. He'd never seen human beings, much less shinobi ever move so fast. One moment he was being held by the enemy and the next he was held securely in someone's arms. He blinked, looking up. The white and red of an ANBU mask greeted his eyes. The body that held him was covered in a black hooded cloak.

"ANBU?" His voice was a whisper as the man looked down at him. He could barely see the red of his eyes behind the slits. Naruto blinked.

"You don't have to do anymore now. Let us take care of it from here, kid." The voice was gruff and deep. Naruto, the boy, wasn't sure if the man was trying to hide his true tone. He didn't care though.

He looked over and realized Gaara had been moved as well. Someone with pink hair in a fully decked out set of ANBU armor was placing him next to Sakura by the tree. Sasuke was looking on with wide eyes and he followed the gaze back to man in black. Another ANBU stood there, with the same cloak on as the guy setting him on the ground next to Sakura and Gaara. He was locked in a fight with the unknown enemy.

The ANBU who helped him looked up at Sasuke. "You there, Genin!"

Sasuke looked down, eyes still wide. "Yeah...?"

"Take these three out of here. Do it one at a time if you have to. Got it?"

He blinked a few more times.

"Got it?" He called louder.

Sasuke nodded his head rigorously and jumped down, wincing only slightly. The first person he picked up was Sakura. "Thanks."

"Don't worry about it." The tall figure looked over at Naruto as the kid started to speak.

"I can walk," he ground out. "I'll take Gaara," he said as he winced, standing. He barely registered the ANBU male nodding.

"Good, then get out of here. And don't look back. Understand?" His voice was still gruff and his tone hidden.

"We will," Sasuke said "And we'll send back help." Without another word of argument all four were walking away, trying to go as quickly as possible. Order were orders and hell, they were just happy to be alive. Sasuke wasn't use to ANBU jumping on something like this, but he wasn't going to question it either.

Red eyes of the ANBU agent watched them until they were gone from sight, until he could barely read their chakra signature anymore. Once he was sure they were far enough away he turned back to the scene before him just as Stalker landed on his shoulder, hood falling from his head.

Naruto was growling at the being in black. The Naruto who was in the body of his real, former, eighteen year-old self. "What are you trying to accomplish now, eh? Everything else you tried to do failed."

Sakura slowly began to prepared her own jutsu; forming the hand signs as Naruto held onto him.

The new technique Naruto's teacher had taught the blond allowed for him to meet the man blow for blow. He knew, almost knew, his every action before his made it. By simply looking at a person, after activating the jutsu, he could see every possibility, everything that 'might' happen in the next few seconds. And from there the blond could nearly always choose the right coarse of action, the right plan of attack or defense.

"Killing us here won't stop us from going back. You have to know that. Those kids aren't going to go back. The time we lived and grew in no longer exists. We fixed that." This from Sakura.

He just sneered, pulling away from Naruto. "I know that, you fools. It's and end to an ultimate means." He chuckled and went at Naruto, using taijutsu. But each move, he found with astonishing clarity, was blocked and returned. While not all of Naruto's hits landed, the ones that did hurt like hell. Where was this amazing sense of speed coming from? How could he...? No matter. He would just do as he did before. If he placed himself just out of time they wouldn't be able to do anything. No, like with his fight with Sasuke he'd be frozen in place. Too slow to move.

He chuckled as the jutsu was executed. But, surprise and shock flooded his system as the younger male blocked much like before.

"Confused...?" Sasuke offered, his red eyes never once leaving him, trailing after him like a predator. This was all apart of their plan. If Naruto could just keep him busy until Sakura was ready... He smirked. "We learned time manipulation jutsus... just like you. And now, added in with the fact that we literally don't exists right now in the normal flow of time? Well.. that no longer has an affect on us."

Sakura's face turned hard. "This is it. You're finished. We will stop you."

His eyes went wide and Naruto caught him off guard, sending a blow to his chin. He fell sailing backwards from the blow. Barely, just barely, he managed to stop himself from hitting a tree. But that didn't stop the trail of liquid crimson he felt roll down his lips and neck.

"You idiots," he whispered as he stood. "I won't be stopped here. Not again. Not again by you three!"

Sasuke blinked and took a defensive posture as the man spoke. He wasn't attacking and Naruto wasn't going after him. But, Sakura still needed more time to prepare. And if he wanted to talk, waste some much needed time... Sasuke was all for it.

"You!" He cried out as he pointed at Sasuke. "You were the worst of it. Little bullshit brother of Itachi. All noble and all knowing. Ultimately, this was all your fault." He swept his hand in one motion. "You caused my downfall."

Sasuke blinked. What the hell was he talking about? He wanted to brush it off on the insanity, really he did. But there was something in the tone of his voice that told him he was talking about some more. Something... He inquired instead. "Were?" He snorted. "What the hell are you talking about? Downfall? I don't even know who you are."

"No, of course you wouldn't. Not now... but you will," he hissed.

"Ugh... I hate riddles, Sasuke." Naruto grouched. "Can't we just kill him already?"

"Shut up, you fool!" The man in black turned his attention to the Kyuubi container instead. "Idiots... stupid idiots. You know nothing. Did Eon not once refer to you as the Revealer, Red Demon or Master of One Million Flower strikes?" He must have read the expressions on the two mens' faces because he went on. Either that, or he really was nuts. "Of course he did. That old fool enjoys saying it all without saying a damned thing at all..."

"And what if he did? What's your point, freak?" Naruto spat out.

He laughed darkly, bitterly. "Don't you get it? How many times in your career have you ever heard a shinobi gifted a nickname that didn't mean something more? Hm? The Copy Nin Kakashi, the Yellow Flash of Konoha. Both prime examples." He growled softly. "But they weren't the ones to ultimately stop me, to stop my legacy from coming into being. No, you three were! The damned Trinity of Konoha!"

Whatever else the being swathed in ebony planned on saying was lost to the two men because Sakura finally started her attack.

"Tears of the Goddess...! One Million Flower Strikes!"

Hundreds, no, thousands of pink and white petals came from everywhere, soaring, flying, slicing the air around them all. Sasuke could hardly see in front of his face as they all swept through. He'd only seen her do this once during training. And this time was so much more amazing than that last. The robed man cried out in pain as each blow struck, as each petal struck, cut and wounded his person. Tatters of black, strips of material fell from his body. Blood stained the ground and his clothes. He brought his hands up in front of his face.

"No," he cried out, trying to stop the barrage. "Not again. Not the same way!" The being swept his hands into a series of hand signs and inhaled. He wouldn't be brought down like this again! Not this way!

"Oh god..." Naruto whispered, realizing he what he was going to do and started to step forward. "Those flower petals won't burn like you think, you dumbass! Stop--!" but it was too late already. Naruto's eyes went wide and Sasuke gripped onto him to keep him from going in and getting killed himself. He might not like the man the guy was, what he'd put them through, but he didn't condone anyone dying. Not if he could help it. Imprisonment yes. Punishment yes... but not death.

"It's too late, Naruto. We tried..." He didn't really care what became of insane, cruel man who'd caused them so much grief. Sasuke just wasn't as soft as Naruto. But then, the blond was the real heart of their team. He always would be. And that's what made them a unit. Sasuke would do the things that needed to be done. Naruto would always be the voice of justice and confidence. And Sakura... she would be the glue that held them together.

Sasuke looked over at her as the petals began to stop moving. She'd stopped the jutsu and the bitter flaming petals just poised in space and time. After a moment they just... dissipated completely.

"It's done," she whispered. "It's finally over..."

At that Naruto ran forward to fallen, half charred man. He knelt down and reached for the hood of his tattered cloak, removing it carefully but quickly. Coughing was heard and Sasuke realized he was still breathing. He blinked and came forward with Sakura.

"My god..." She said a hushed, amazed tone.

"What?" Naruto asked as he squinted down at the man's face.

"It's Uchiha Madara," Sasuke said calmly, confidently. He shook his head and sighed. "Somehow, I'm not surprised at all." He knelt down next to Naruto and peered at the half burned man. It appeared the flames had only tattered his clothing. Whatever the material was, it had protected him from his own stupidity; insanity. But then, there was no real way he could have truly known the nature of Sakura's blossoms. They'd found out long ago during training his fire jutsu made them even more deadly. And they had both planned on using it to their advantage if it came down to that. But... it appeared Madara had beat them to the punch.

The world around them went dark. The same black and blue haze they knew so well was back up. The forest was gone. That place lost to them. All three stood up and turned to face the old guardian of time.

"It's done, right?" Sakura asked slowly as she faced him, her voice unsure. All she wanted to hear was it was done. All she wanted to know was that they could finally go home. Away from here and back to what she considered a normal life by comparison to what they were doing now.

Eon nodded kindly. "Yes... it's over. You can leave him to me. I promise you... this man, as he is now, will never bother you again."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "As he is now? What is that suppose to mean?"

"You already know the answer to that one, Sasuke," he replied softly with raised brows.

All three just sort of stood there, trying to figure out his words. Sasuke held his gaze, trying analyze his words. Sakura narrowed her own eyes, hand son her hips as the green depths danced with questions and curiosity. However, it was Naruto who finally made the connection.

"We'll face him again, won't we?" Naruto urged quietly. "That's what he meant when he spoke about us ruining things for him..."

Eon nodded and without hesitating he answered. "Yes, you will."

"What--," Naruto began but Sasuke stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

"No, Naruto. Don't ask. No one should ever know too much about their own future... right?" He looked over at Eon.

"Right," he agreed softly with a knowing smile. "Now...are you three finally ready to go home?"

"Yes."

"Please."

"Oh, Kami, yes."

Each one was said at the same time. And were it not for the weariness of the situation they might have laughed. But that didn't stop Eon from laughing.

"Good. But I just need to tell you a few more things." He swept his hand to the side and next to him appeared three mirror images of themselves. All looked to be floating, unconscious and nearly see-through. "These are your current selves, if you want to call them anything," he said quickly. "In a moment I'll be combining you with them. It won't hurt and you won't feel the effects for several weeks."

"Effects?" Sakura inquired, worried.

He nodded. "You can't just go back to your own home like this. Three entirely different people, these people, reside there. You're all that's left of the fading memory of another time, Trinity." He smiled. "You won't forget anything, I assure you. and it will take a good many weeks for their memories to settle in with your present ones. Until then... be careful about what you say around other people. I find faking memory loss is usually a good idea."

Sakura blinked. "You're saying... we're going to become one with these... people--."

"Ghosts is more like it. Memories might even a better word, actually," he mused. "They are you. They're just the you that was suppose to be. Make sense?"

Sakura slowly nodded. "Ok... that aside... we're still going to be who we are? Our bodies, possessions, memories of the things we did... have done... won't change?"

He shook his head. "All that you have with you now will be the same. Nothing about you will change. The only difference is a few more memories clouding up that skull of yours." He chuckled. "But, you'll get use to it, trust me."

After a few nods and worried sighs Eon moved walked around them. He stepped over next to the unconscious man and tapped him on the forehead. "Almost forgot to do that," he muttered. "Now he won't wake up till I want him to." He tsked and shook his head. "I really need to get someone to take my place... damned memories," he finished before addressing them again.

"Listen, all of you, before you go, I want you to know how thankful I am to each and every one of you." He smiled sadly, but this time not because of bad news, but because he was a tad upset this would probably be last time he spoke with them. "You did the impossible. You accomplished a lot. And I know you still have many questions. All of which I know the answer to now. But..." He paused as he scanned each of their faces. "I think I can tell you'd rather find out for yourself..." He chuckled and clapped his hands together. "Alright. Are you ready?"

They all nodded.

"Very well..." With a wave of his hand as all three turned back to face the 'ghosts', Eon wove the energy that made these being up with his hands. Slowly, surely and carefully the bodies of the 'memories' faded like being sucked into each person. It all glittered and hazed. Each sparkle found its way into it's matched body. And as this happened none of them felt any different. Just a slight tingling sensation. And then it was over... all went black.

"Goodbye for now," Eon whispered as they faded from sight.


	31. Chapter 31

**..Chapter Thirty-One..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

The sun was bright. Children shouted in the distance. People laughed and talked with one another in the busy streets of Konoha. Some traded goods, money and others still traded gossip. But this wasn't anything out of the normal for the residents of the unusually peaceful village. No, unlike most places, aside from maybe Sand, Konoha was known for it's unparalleled promise of peace. And this is why so many flourished well here. Some of the greatest shinobi in the world grew up here, lived here and sometimes, ultimately died here.

For all who stayed in this place this was just another day. Just another morning passing them by as every other one did the day before. The occasional cry of a babe, or gruff argument in the streets was still nothing to bat an eyelash at. All it took was the quick actions of a local police officer or a high ranking shinobi to settle the problems. Nothing out of the ordinary... right?

Well, as you can imagine, as you know yourself, nothing normal was happening for three resident shinobis this very moment...

ooo

He felt warm, safe and surrounded in a familiar scent. Was he dreaming? Was he lost? Had something gone wrong on their way back home? He didn't know. He wasn't sure. What he did know was wherever he was at, he didn't want to leave. Smells wafted under his nose. He could hear laughter in the distance. Thinking he might really be dreaming at the sound of some heartbreaking laugh, he dove further into his sheets. He didn't want to wake up if it was a dream. Because, at that moment he felt at peace for the first time in over twelve years. Well, if you counted the time he spent 'somewhere else'.

However, he found the more he rolled into the mattress and the more he tried to grab onto the dwindling dream... it wasn't dwindling. In fact, the more he tried to sleep the less he heard of the laughter and the less he smelled of that delicious food.

Coal depths blinked open and he found himself face to face with a dark blue comforter. What the hell? His comforter wasn't blue. It was.. burgundy. Right...? He yanked on it, tugging it away and untangling it from his legs as he moved to stand up. What he saw made his insides shake. Was this a nightmare? He pinched himself. No, he was awake. He was definitely awake. But, how did he end up here? In his room.. his house!

No, he had to be loosing his mind. And whatever those sounds were, if he was in his old home, he'd go down there and start kicking people out. This must be someone's sick idea of a fabulous genjutsu gone wrong. The new paint on the walls couldn't be real. The fresh sealant on the wood floors had to be fake.

Clothed in nothing but his pajama pants and without a shirt he began to run out of his room and down the hall. He raced down the stairs, around the corner and to where he knew the kitchen to be. Sounds. They were everywhere. People talking. Laughing. What was going here?!

He swept aside the paper drape as he skidded to a halt in the kitchen and dinning room. "Who--!"

"Uncle!"

Before he could even yell his complete sentence an small set of arms were wrapped about his waist. The wind was knocked out of him as he fell backwards and onto the floor. He cried out softly and closed his eyes as his back collided with the floor.

Ok, he so hadn't been expecting that...

"Uncle! Uncle! You're home!" The small child's voice cried as he felt her arms wrapped about his neck. He laughter rang out in his ears. Uncle...? He blinked his eyes open and stared upward at the ceiling, utterly flabbergasted. Maybe he'd blame it on the fact that he was still waking up. Was that coffee he smelled?

"Mei! What are you doing? Get off Sasuke this instant!"

Sasuke sat up like a bolt as he heard that voice. It was a little older, a little wiser, but he couldn't mistake that chastising, loving tone anywhere.

"Mother..." he whispered as her dark eyes caught his while she picked up the little girl with dark brown hair. This couldn't be real. It couldn't be. She was. He'd seen his bother kill them. He'd seen their dead bodies. Bloodied... broken... slain. His throat caught. His chest heaved and he tried to find his voice.

But she was still standing there. No matter how much he rubbed his eyes, blinked or tried to will the mirage away. Her face was still as soft as ever, her smile just as he recalled it. Her dark eyes were the same ones he'd inherited from her. They were perfect... caring... and full of love like always.

She hadn't changed much. She was still just as tall as ever. Her long locks of hair were still as strait and still as lovely as he remembered them. Her face... it looked a little older.. a little more tired... but...

"Goodness, Sasuke... Are you alight?" She laughed. "You look as though you've seen a ghost. I hope Mei didn't hurt you. She can be a strong little girl." His mother frowned at the child in her arms.

She pouted.

"Mei," a voice behind Sasuke called out and he peered his head back and looked up. If he thought the vision of his mother was bad enough... what greeted him next... His face turned almost hard a moment.

"You've been told before not to do that to Sasuke," Itachi muttered as he leaned into the door frame.

"Yes, Papa..." she whispered. "I'm just excited." She beamed. "He's back, after all! Back from the long mission with Kakashi-sama, Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun!"

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. The words, the sounds, the people. All of it. It was like some cruel nightmare all over again. Only this time it was worse. It was so much worse than what Itachi had put him through the last time. Because now, his heart was starting to yearn...

He saw red.

Itachi chuckled as he looked down. "Are you alright, ototou? I--." But anything Itachi planned on saying was lost as Sasuke got up from the floor and charged at him. He gripped the lapels of his shirt and shoved him out of the kitchen, ramming him against a wall.

"You god damned bastard!" He cried out, pulling back and shoving into it so hard, with so much force, that it nearly cracked beneath his older brother. "Like it wasn't bad enough what you did! And now after all this time you're going to haunt me with this?!" He could see Itachi was confused. He didn't care though. and he didn't give a damn as he heard the screams of his mother and the little girl behind him. Because they weren't real. Because this was something he he'd conjured up with the brilliant use of his Sharingan. It had to be.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Sasuke?" He asked, reaching for his wrists.

"Me? Ha! You're one to ask that, you twisted son-of-a-bitch!" With that he was pulling back and tossing him down the hall. And after that everything felt like a blur. He was hitting. Itachi was hitting. They blocked and punched and somewhere at the end of it his mother was the one who began to pull them apart.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?!" She screamed. "And in front of your niece," she said to Sasuke. "You're daughter," she accused at Itachi. "What the hell is this about? You've never fought like this before. _Never_," she hissed in a whispered tone. "If your father..." she trailed off, looking pained for a moment. "Nevermind..." She shook her head and sighed as she released them both. Her hands were on her hips as she looked at them both sternly, like a mother hen, like she'd always done when he was a boy.

"Now, spit it out," she ordered, looking like no was not going to be an appropriate answer.

Itachi stared at him, bloodied lips flat as he tried to read his bother's features. "Well, ototo? What is this about?"

It crept over Sasuke like a slow winter's storm. It was like a cold nipping at his ears and under his nose. And then the warmth came. It hit him like a ton of bricks. Had he not been so upset, so confused, he would have seen right through it and realized it wasn't a genjutsu at all. His brother wasn't using his Sharingan. He never had been.

It was real.

They weren't dead.

His brother wasn't an evil bastard.

He had a family.

.

.

.

He had a family...

Sasuke swallowed hard and shoved them out of the way. He ran down the hall and once more ignored the cries of his family. Even in his own head it didn't sound right. And yet... it did. He sucked in the morning's fresh air as he looked out and over the short fence of his front yard. His muscles cried in protest, his heart ached and yet...

...the smile that bloomed on his face was like none other. _Ever_. In his whole life.

People, glorious people were everywhere. Uchiha's as far as they eye could see were all milling about the compound. All alive. All well and good. All laughing, smiling and trading. He turned his head upward and cried out in joy. "Ha ha!"

"Has Uncle lost it, daddy?" a little girl whispered behind him.

A sigh was heard, but no reply.

Sasuke turned back and looked at his brother. He looked at his niece. Yes, a damned niece. His mother was just behind them, staring at him like he really had lost his mind. And next to his brother, peaking her head through the throngs on knees was Lilith.

Wait. Lilith?

Stalker.

"Stalker," he said and pushed back past them again.

"Sasuke, wait," Itachi gripped his upper arm. "Don't you remember?"

He blinked.

Itachi sighed. "I don't know what's up with you, but frankly I think you need your head examined." He grunted. "Hitting me, spouting nonsense and now you've completely forgotten we have to go pick Stalker up from the vet at the Inuzuka compound?"

Sasuke just smiled. "I'm sorry. I'm fine. I promise... I just... " He laughed softly, happily. He locked eyes with his brother. "Have you ever felt like you've just woken up from a long nightmare before? Have you ever felt like everything you ever knew was caught in some... dream?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes, watching him carefully.

"Uncle," the little girl with brown hair and black eyes said as she tugged on his pajama pants, "Did you have a nightmare? Is that why you hit daddy?"

"You have no idea," he whispered, still holding Itachi's gaze. There was a long moment of silence. Mei blinked in confusion. His mother stared curiously. Lilith... yawned. And both brothers just kept up that steady gaze.

"Well," Itachi said after a long moment, "why don't we go for a walk, ototo?"

"Itachi?" His mother questioned.

"It's alright," he said with a soft smile in her direction. "We really so need to go pick up Stalker."

"Alright," she said after a long, long sigh. "But, if there's anymore fighting--."

"There won't be," Sasuke finished quickly.

She nodded. "Very well. Come on, Mei. You can visit with your uncle later. Right now he needs to go get dressed."

The little girl pouted but did as she was told.

"I'll wait for you down here," Itachi offered.

ooo

He kept telling himself it would all go away any moment. This perfect picture laid out for him had to be fake. It couldn't be real. But, it was. The people around him were real. The children, the mothers, the fathers, hell... the police station never looked so beautiful in his whole life. In fact, he was so enthralled by it, he stopped. He paused, he stared and he grinned until his face hurt. He grinned until his cheeks hurt. Hell, he grinned until his teeth hurt and even he didn't think that was possible.

"You know, you're starting to scare me..." Itachi murmured next to him. "It's the same police station, ototo. Has been for years. Nothing's changed. At all."

If he only knew, Sasuke thought. Every sight was drunk in. Ever smell, every sound and every touch. A dream. He'd woken from a dream. This was how it was suppose to be? This was how Eon had said it was meant to be?

"Yes," Itachi suddenly said next to him.

"What?" He pulled from his reverie.

Itachi laughed softly as he glanced over at Sasuke. His face was worn, his features tired. But he was still the same man Sasuke had once adored. The same one before everything horrible had happened. Everything horrible now that didn't happen. It never had and it never would.

"You asked me earlier if I ever felt like I'd woken from a nightmare... a long one." He reached down as Lilith nudged his hand and he pet her. His eyes trailed up after a while, soft smile on his features. "But for me, it's not like waking up, I guess. For me... it's more like waiting for someone else to wake up. Like going everyday, enjoying each moment, and wanting to thank someone who isn't really there."

Sasuke blinked. "What do you mean?" He leaned onto the iron fence, his hands gripping there. A soft breeze tussled his strands as he waited for a reply from his brother.

"Do you know how long it took me to figure it out, Sasuke?"

He still didn't understand.

"The night you said goodbye was a hard one for me. As hard as it would be for any child losing a man they'd grown up admiring... looking up to. And at the time it didn't make sense to me. None of it did. Years passed, time faded, and I waited for you. I walked passed the gates of Konoha night after night. Day after day. I waited by your house... your teams' house even after new people moved in." He chuckled leaning on the fence as well, looking onto the police station. He shook his head and he sighed. "Then... one day... I looked at my little brother. I recalled the promise I made to never forget the man who made me half the man I am now. All the lines connected and all the dots revealed themselves..." He looked over at Sasuke. "But it wasn't you. You weren't that man yet and I couldn't fathom why. It made sense and yet none all at. You never explained any of it to me... and I'm sure you had your reasons..." He sighed again as he held his gaze. "So... I continued to wait. I waited for you. And waited and waited..." He placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Fifteen years... fifteen I waited for you... nii-san... Thank you... I never told you that, you know. Not once. I'm glad... I'm glad I finally can."

Itachi searched his younger brother's eyes. And for a moment, he thought perhaps his confession was a bad one. He started to pull back. However, Sasuke grabbed his hand. He watched as the Adam's apple bopped in his younger brother's throat.

"You remember?" He whispered.

Itachi nodded. "I have all this time."

"All of it?"

"All of it."

The bright feeling he'd been filled with that morning once more assailed his senses and filled whole his whole being. He couldn't help the next few movements. He didn't want to stop the natural reaction to do something he'd never done before to Itachi. His arms reached out and he hugged his brother for all he was worth. He gripped him like he was dying.

"You didn't kill anyone," he whispered, eyes tightly shut. "You didn't go after power. You did the right thing. I made a difference," he continued, tears pricking at his eyes. He couldn't believe it. He'd hoped, he'd prayed... but he'd not once really thought it might actually happen. "I have my family. I'm not alone..." His voice was shaking. "I'm not alone." He laughed as he cried, holding his brother tightly. "I'm not alone, Itachi... we did it... Sakura, Naruto and I... we really did it... we changed fate."

Itachi ran a hand down his back. He pat his brother's head and he soothed him until he stopped crying in both joy and grief. People walked past. The sounds around them continued onward. But the silence, the echoing silence of their embrace never once wavered. And when Sasuke finally pulled back, Itachi looked at him with curious, concern filled eyes.

"Kill everyone? What are you talking about..." he asked. "Are you..." His mouth opened to speak and then snapped shut. His eyes narrowed as the wheels in his head turned. He was trying to remember something.

Sasuke shook his head. "You did." He looked onto his features, face a mix of happiness and waning grief. "It's not why we went back, why we were sent back... but, it was something I tried to change. You slew the entire compound. All of our friends.. family..."

Itachi shook his head. "No, Sasuke, I would never... I mean... " His eyes narrowed. "You don't remember anything do you? I mean... recently... now?"

"No... not yet... Why?"

He sighed and explained. "When you were still a boy in the Academy and I became an ANBU I was taken before Minato-sama. He told me there were some forces at work in the Uchiha clan that were planning a betrayal. An attack on Konoha. Of course, at the time it was only a rumor... but I was the most capable shinobi at the time to ferret the information out for him because I was well like by my family and peers here. Anyway," he went on, "I kept my eyes open for the Hokage. Time passed and one day I was approached by father."

"Dad?" Sasuke blinked.

"Yes..." he started. "I never really understood why father had always pushed me so much. Hell, why he never really paid attention to you, for that matter. But that day it all made sense. He invited me into the group, the people planning the assault on Konoha. I agreed, of course." He turned around and leaned back into the iron fence in front of the police station. He crossed his arms over his chest. "After that I was introduce to some of the highest officials in our clan. It took months to gain their trust and learn that the rumors were in fact true. Once I had all the information I needed I went to Minato-sama."

"And?" Sasuke asked, wanting to know.

"And... on the way to give my report to Minato-sama I was ambushed."

"By who?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

Itachi's jaw tightened for a moment and his hands turned to fists. "Uchiha Shisui... my best friend... my mentor.." His eyes closed in the painful memories. "I found out the entire time I had been sent to keep an eye on the clan he had been ordered by the clan members in on the betrayal to keep as eye on me. I tried to talk to him. I tried to convince him what he was doing was wrong. That Konoha was a good place and we had no right to change that. Minato, I said, is a good man and a great Hokage..."

Sasuke said nothing as the words washed over him.

He looked over at his younger brother, face expressionless as he spoke evenly. "I killed my best friend that night... and the second person I considered and older brother to me. I did it to protect Konoha, Sasuke... but it doesn't stop me from hating myself..." He looked away as another breeze swept past and played with the black strands of their hair.

Sasuke waited for him to continue. He was sure that wasn't the end of the story. what had happened after he told Minato everything... had he?

"I made it look like a suicide and then I reported everything to Minato-sama. The council was there as well. For whatever reason they thought the entire clan was too big of a risk and ordered Minato to have me take care of it."

Sasuke didn't have to ask what that meant.

"But... before I could even argue..." He smiled softly as his eyes appeared to drift. "Minato-sama spoke up. He dispelled the idea immediately. He took the names I'd gathered and all the reports on each member and everyone they were connected to. Days later, each and every involved clan member... including our father... was imprisoned or executed."

"And father?" Sasuke asked softly, looked down slightly, eyes narrowed as they locked on a spot on the ground.

Itachi was quiet. And the silence was enough of an answer for Sasuke.

"I see..."

It was quiet again. But this time it was so much longer. It echoed around them like a death march. Everything Itachi had relayed to him settled into his mind. It all made sense. and he half wondered if that had been what happened to the Third. That perhaps the council had ordered him to do the same thing... and maybe he'd just never had the backbone to do anything else. Who knew... but if that were true... had Itachi... the one in his time... had he always loved him? He supposed there would be no real way of knowing.

"You didn't cry, you know.," Itachi finally said. "When they killed him. But mother... she was most hurt by it all... "

Sasuke swallowed. "I never hated him."

"None of us did..." He agreed, looking over at Sasuke. "But each man has to pay for his crimes... no matter the reason."

"Why do you think he did it...?" He asked back.

"I asked him the day before the execution."

"And?"

Itachi shrugged. "He never told me. All he could say was how disappointed he was in me. Just like he had always been disappointed in you... " Itachi sighed. "I don't think our father was an evil man... I just think he was a severely confused one."

Sasuke nodded.

"So,..." Itachi grinned slightly, the dark mood having finally been lifted from the conversation. "Do I get an explanation...Nii-san? Or will I have to drag it out of you?"

Sasuke chuckled as he ruffled his hair. He didn't stop him. He grinned back as his brother draped an arm over his shoulders and led him towards the exit of the compound. "It's a long story, I'll tell you now..." However... time... somehow didn't seem to matter that much anymore...

ooo

_Elsewhere..._

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, niiiiiiii-san!"

Naruto groaned as something jumped up and down, up and down, up and down on his bed, his abs, his stomach, his legs... oh hell no! Not there! He cried out in pain and fell in a mess of blankets onto the floor of whatever hell he'd woken up into.

"Get up off the floor, you lazy dipshit," another female voice called out, this one older.

He groaned again as someone threw a pillow on his head. Wait... did... had whomever that was kicked him? Humorous tears rimmed at his eyes. He was sure Kami hated him now. Either that or this was Sakura's idea of a cruel joke. Maybe he'd been kidnapped by her and Ino? Hog tied? No, he wasn't tied up. Only stuck under a pile of tangled sheets.

"Mooom! Naruto won't get up!"

"So?" an older woman called back from somewhere far off. "He just got back from a long mission last night. Leave your brother alone, Mina."

Yes! Someone loved him! Maybe it wasn't hell after all! Sweet joy! Heeeeeey... was that ramen he smelled? Maybe he wouldn't go back to sleep after all...

"But mom, he promised me he'd give me back the CD he borrowed when he came back. I need it for the party tonight at Lain's!" The second voice ground out next to him.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!" The first one called from what direction he could assume was his sweet, sweet bed calling.

"Shut up, Yoshi!"

"Mooom! Sissy yelled at me again!"

"That's because you're an annoying, brat."

"Jerk!"

"Girls!" The oldest woman called out in frustration, a lot closer now. "Get out of your brother's room this instant! Go get washed up, out of those PJ's and eat some breakfast. And so help me if you don't do it right now neither of you will see the light of day for the next two weeks! Is that clear?!"

Silence...

"Well?"

"Yes!" Both shouted and a second later scuffling feet at the speed of sound were heard leaving his bedroom. And then a sigh was heard. Someone lifted his blankets and pulled away the sheets from his eyes. The pillows were tossed away. The one's he'd sworn were weapons. Deadly ones!

Bright red eyes, a soft smile and matching hair met with his blue pools of endless, liquid ice... Kushina...? He blinked sleepily.

She shook her head. "Naruto..." she sighed. "Whatever am I going to do with you, boy? You know, no matter how hard you try to ignore them they won't go away. You've been gone for a few months... Surely you expected this sort of reaction from your sisters, right?"

He blinked.

She laughed. "Are you hungry? I made you some ramen. Pork. Your favorite."

"Ramen!" He shouted, convinced this was heaven. He sat up like a bolt.

She laughed again. "It does you mother good to see you smile like that. I'll wait for you to change downstairs. Just don't forget that CD Mina wanted now." She frowned. "Unfortunately she just started... well... never mind. Girl stuff you don't want to hear about." She pat his knee a few times. "Anyway, don't forget it. Oh, and your father wants that mission report from Kakashi pronto. I know you're planning on seeing him tonight as Yin's. Don't forget to remind him. Ok?" She stood up.

Naruto nodded lamely.

"Good," she beamed, "see you in a few. I'll make sure the girls leave you alone until your dressed." With that she shut the door and left him alone.

Dream... or reality, Naruto wondered, blinking. Much like Sasuke earlier he pinched his side. But unlike him, he also preformed the release command in case it was a genjutsu... and nope... everything was the same when he opened his eyes. Naruto narrowed those cool blues. He pursed his lips in concentration as everything slowly... but surely... settled in...

Wait...

..._Sisters_?!

ooo

Sakura, unlike her two boys, had the luxury of sleeping in. Why? Because thankfully, unlike her boys just found out, she still lived alone. It appeared her parents still enjoyed all that privacy they got after she left home. In fact, this dear writer can attest that they still went on that two month long second honeymoon after Sakura did move out.

But... sometime around half past noon... Sakura rolled out of bed when a knocking started to pound at her door. She ignored it at first, groaning. But it got louder... and louder... and louder! Crying out in womanly frustration she yanked the covers off of her person and stomped out of her bedroom in nothing but a large T-shirt and a pair of panties.

She didn't care what time it was. Whoever was ruing her beauty sleep was going to _pay._ What was it.. nine? Eight o'clock? She grunted as she flung the door open. "What the hell do you wa...hey..." She blinked at Sasuke and Naruto.

"I told you she still lived here!" Naruto cried out. "I told you!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, arms crossed over his chest. "Yes, well, I wasn't going to go banging on someone's door at nine-thirty in the morning on a Saturday either. Even Sakura's. Even if she didn't live here at all."

Sakura blinked. "Why wouldn't I?"

Both of her boys blinked. "You don't remember..?" Naruto blurted out. "Eon, time travel..." His hands moved in a rotating fashion as if to help her along.

Sakura's eyes went wide as sleep finally wore off and it all came back. She reached for something inside of her shirt. Once she felt the chain securely in her hand she pulled it out. And there it was... her half of the ring.

"Kakashi..." she whispered.

"We've got a lot to tell you, Sakura," Naruto said softly.

"Can we come in?" Sasuke added kinder than usual.

She nodded rigorously. "Sure. Sorry. I just... I'm not awake yet." She rubbed her eyes and moved away for them to enter. "Do you want me to make some coffee for you?" she asked once the door was shut and some lights were turned on.

Naruto made a face and Sasuke nodded. And then... then they began to tell her everything...


	32. Chapter 32

**..Chapter Thirty-Two..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

It had taken two hours hours, a lot of coffee and a few muffins before Sakura finally got the whole story from her boys. Sasuke... it appeared... had a family. Naruto did as well. And sisters at that! Three! Three damned sisters... how in the hell was he suppose to keep up with that mess of a household? She had none. A few cousins... and they were annoying enough. But to have three younger sisters? All of them a few years apart? Damn... Minato _had_ been busy. Either that or Kushina enjoyed wearing him out.

She'd discovered Minato was in fact still the Hokage and still very much alive. They didn't know the whole story on how he'd defeated Orochimaru. But it was something they'd find out later. Obviously he hadn't used the Death God Jutsu like Sarutobi had...

And Sasuke... she couldn't be happier for him. His brother hadn't killed his family, thanks to Minato. The Uchiha's were all very much alive. Itachi had married some young girl named Uchiha Seiya and Sasuke had a niece as a result.

As for her?

Well... from what information Sasuke and Naruto had gathered from Itachi, who praise the gods still remembered them all, Tsunade had been sought after. Not to become Hokage, of course, but to heal Rock Lee. Naruto and Jiraiya had still gone to search for her. And Sakura was still her pupil. She was still co-director in the hospital next to Shizune. In truth... not much had changed... right?

"Huh..." She pondered this as she sipped her coffee... "So... " she trailed on, "do you remember when Eon said... our interference wouldn't... change anything?"

"I do," Sasuke said with a furrowed brow.

She pondered a bit more. "I mean... aside from the whole... sense of will being strong and such... we did change fate... right? Was all of this suppose to happen? Really?"

The question hung in the air. It dangled and all three contemplated it seriously. Was there something they were all missing...? If things weren't suppose to change... if whatever Sasuke did wasn't suppose to change his bother... then why had it?

"I think..." Naruto began, surprising them both. His voice was soft, slow... and as questioning as it was explaining. "Do you remember when he said things had been changed. That was why we were sent back to begin with right? To make all of this... correct?"

"Well... yeah," she said. "But that still doesn't explain Sasuke's interference and Itachi. Regardless of what the old man said about emotions being strong enough to make people different... I don't think he honestly would have let anything happen that wasn't suppose to."

Naruto snapped his fingers. "That's it!"

"What's it, dropout?" Sasuke asked, almost irritated with his sudden outburst.

Naruto waved his hands quickly as his face went through a series of expressions. It was like a light finally went off. It was that same look he got everytime just before he was going to do something intelligent. Like... Shikamaru level intelligent. Some people got random bursts of power. Naruto? His secret power was random bouts of smarts.

"In the begging of this whole thing Eon told us we had to fix things, right?"

"Yes, you've already said that, Naruto," Sasuke grumbled. "Get to the point."

"Ok, alright, fine," he went on excitedly. He beamed with his hidden knowledge. "What if when he said Sasuke's interference would change nothing... he meant regardless of what we did... Itachi would end up that way anyway?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes.

He grumbled. They weren't getting it. "He said that because this is the way it's suppose to be! We weren't thinking outside the box that night. In our minds our time was the right one. At least that's what we thought without really realizing it. However... When Eon said it he already knew how things were suppose to be. So to him... Sasuke wouldn't change anything. We were only repairing what needed to be fixed. What needed to be returned to rights." He got it all out rather quickly. He was breathless by the time he was done. And both of his team mates were just staring at him... blinking.

His face fell. "Oh, don't tell me you don't understand _that_?"

"No.." Sasuke continued to blink. "I get it... I'm just..."

"Speechless," Sakura finished. "How could we have not seen it? All that time... he knew. That's why he wasn't worried about you... or me... or hell... really even Minato... because he knew what was going to happen. Damn..."

"Talk about the riddle of a century." Sasuke muttered.

"More like a millennia," she added. It all made sense. That's why he told her time and time again it would all work out. That everything would be fine. But... if everything had worked out for her boys... what about... her? What about Kakashi...

"Hey, Sakura..." Naruto edged. "Listen... we knew you'd want to look for Kakashi when you got up... and when Sasuke said he wanted to wait until noon," he grumbled out, "well, we went looking for you. For us too. But, anyway... We can't find him."

A great fear rushed over her. It must have shown on her face because Naruto was speaking quickly again. "Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that, Sakura!" He spoke fast. "He's fine. Even mom... eash... how weird is that to say.. mom..."

Sasuke hit him on the back of his head. "Keep on topic, dropout."

Naruto pouted and rubbed the spot where he'd been hit. Sometimes, he swore, that bastard hit him more than Sakura did! And now, as he'd discovered this morning, he had a whole houseful of them to torment him! Sisters! Three! It was enough to make any big brother cry. He almost, _almost,_ wished he was back to having no family at all. At least he had for a mere second when Mina had whacked him on the head with a book.

"Whatever, anyway, what the idiot is trying to say," Sasuke began.

"Is that Kakashi is just fine. My mom said so. He'll be at Yin's tonight at nine o'clock." Naruto grinned. "We're all suppose to be there. Isn't that great news, Sakura?"

"The best," she whispered softly with a smile. He was ok. Kakashi was alive and well. All the fear... all the heartache... all the worry... it was gone in one wave of emotions. Her Crow... her eyes closed. She still had a chance. _Thank you, Eon, _her mind whispered to the Guardian. _Thank you._

But after this moment of soft, warming and yet comforting clarity in which she unconsciously gripped the ring about her neck, Sakura realized she still had a lot to do. She wasn't entirely sure as to what order she was going to do it in... or how... but she was going to do it. And even if that silvered haired crow didn't remember her tonight... he sure as hell wouldn't forget her after she was through with him.

ooo

Shopping had never been such a chore before. Really, had her former self really ever been this prude or froogle with her funds? Half of her clothes were only for the hospital. The other half were for bed and rest of them had been too toned down as far as she was concerned. No, it wouldn't do at all. And so, she'd went out. Hours upon hours were spent looking through outfits. And as she'd quickly discovered, she was pretty froogle. What the hell had she been saving all that money for? She hoped she didn't regret it as soon as she remembered it. Eon had said it would take a few weeks to remember it all...

Ah well... there was no going back on it now.

She'd bought three pairs of shoes. One pair for work, another for everyday use and a final set for going out. Namely for going out tonight. Then she'd purchased three new dresses. Two for fun and one, yes, for tonight. a handful of accessories and underwear later had she was set.

Sasuke and Naruto hadn't stuck around too long after that. Apparently they still hated shopping. Well, at least that hadn't changed, right? At any rate, on her way around town she had run into Ino. The girl had been confused, flabbergasted and outright left blinking when Sakura had practically glomped her on sight. The pink haired woman had explained her behavior away as simply missing her since that last mission was a few months long. Thank Eon for small reprieves.

The girl had joined her for a while but quickly told her she had some work to do at the hospital. She thankfully reminded Sakura the girl needed to report into work tomorrow at a prompt time of eleven. Which was just fine by Sakura. After all... she still needed to speak with Tsunade about ANBU... ho boy... yes. This was why the all the dresses she'd picked out were long sleeved. There was no telling how long she'd have to hide that tattoo...

Well, to make a long story short, there she was was, breathless and standing just outside the door to Yin's. She was actually across the street beneath the light of a lamp. To many who passed her by she looked like she was waiting for someone. And in many ways she actually was. He just didn't know it yet. She'd arrived a whole hour early just to make sure he went in. Just... just to get a glimpse of him before he saw her. And she didn't want to be bothered by Naruto and Sasuke when she finally did this. No... she needed to stand on her own tonight. After all... it had been a mere day for her... but for him? It had been a lifetime.

Fifteen years...

Would he still remember her? Would he make the connection? And even so.. even if he remembered her... would he make the connection? If he remembered anything about her would he know that his student, the girl who had looked up to him for years, had once been his lover in a very distant time? That she had grown up with him, watched him grow up, held him as he told her his sorrows in quiet, treated his wounds emotionally and physically, that she had watched his back for over two years? Would he? Or... would her teacher brush it all off as being a mere coincidence...

She really was lovely though... the dress was somewhere in the middle of what she would have worn over four years ago and what Ino would have worn today. It was bare in the back, revealing every curve of her spine. The color was a bright green to match her eyes. The neckline was high. It hugged her in right in every place. The skirt was wide and made for dancing. Were she to spin it would fan out and probably reveal too much of her underwear. The hem stopped just a few inches above her knees. The silken sleeves belled out and just over her knuckles.

Her hair was pulled back. Bits of it hung about her face. And a single rhinestone hair clip that looked like a lotus blossom shone in the lamplight. The heels she'd chosen were strapped to her feet.

She was confident... but she was also terribly nervous. What would she say to him? What would he say to her? To him, right now, she would most likely still be that girl. That student. Her heart tugged and the butterflies she'd long ago thought were gone danced in the pit of her belly. She swallowed hard. And in the middle of all her musings, her thoughts... it happened. _He_ happened.

Reading a familiar, worn, torn and slightly aged orange little book he walked up to the solid wooden door of Yin's and stepped inside. Her breath caught. He didn't look any different. His Jounin uniform was just as it always hair was still the same spiky mess teetering to one side of his head. And the Leaf headband was still the only thing covering his Sharingan. Not once did he stop to look at her. For that she was glad.

It was time...

ooo

Hatake Kakashi. Thirty-two years old and slightly taller than most he could easily be described as a complicated, if not altogether a withdrawn man. He smiled when the situation called for it, stared with a deadly intent when faced with an enemy, and generally ignored anything he didn't care too much for. He was notoriously cryptic. But he could be just as kindhearted when he wanted to. He was never without a trademark eye-crinkling sort of smile after being nothing more than an utter smart ass. And to many of the population of Konoha... Kakashi was a happy man.

Rin knew better. She always said as much too. Every chance she got she told him how much he wasn't fooling her one bit. And when this happened he just gave her the same eye crinkling smile as everyone else, a peace sign and then told her, 'I haven't the foggiest as to what you are referring to.'

He was notoriously late to everything. And every excuse he gave was a page from Obito's old book. He read publicly labeled porn, much to the chagrin of his former students turned equals. And all three of the them constantly reminded him of just how much of a lazy ass he could be most of the time.

Naruto said on more than one occasion he was only handy in a tight spot and that he'd better be lucky Obito had given him that eye or he'd not be worth a damn thing. It had made him frown. But at the moment he was sure he'd deserved it. After all, he'd said it just after he told them they were going to go do his chores for the day. Lazy? Maybe. Did he once take advantage of his former students on laundry day? Hell yes. As far he was concerned they deserved it for all the time he had to to spend putting up with them.

Well... they put up with him too... still.. it had been fun.

He gave a soft sigh and flipped another page as he headed towards the bar. It didn't take him too long to find a seat, plant himself there and order a tall bottle of the best saki. Tonight, he knew, was going to be a long one.

It was the same thing every year. Each time, unknown to generally everyone, on this date he did the same thing. First, he tugged the old worn copy of his first Icha Icha book from his bookshelf, then he checked for the necklace around his neck and finally... after grabbing his father's sword... he made his way to Yin's. He so thoroughly did not want to be bothered he'd even put in his mission report early and made sure to tell Naruto before walking through the door on the way here he'd already done it. Kushina, good woman that she was, had a habit of sending her son after him to make sure his lazy, late, mission writing-hating self didn't neglect doing so.

So here he sat... reading... mourning in a way... remembering... and holding his own little memorial.

To Her.

He reached for the bottle, momentarily setting down his book open on the counter. He popped the cork and poured gracefully into the small cup. After doing so he picked up the glass, raised it in 'cheers' and downed it in one shot. He always did that. But after... the entire bottle would be drunk slowly. At least until he was shit faced. Until they shoved him out of the bar. Until he was left stumbling down the streets walking home... walking past Her house... to his. He would stumble into his bed, try once more to find her scent in his sheets. The sames one's he'd washed and knew to be clean. But his heart didn't know that. His drunken mind didn't want to believe it. And so, each and everytime he went he looked at that old window sill. The window seat.

And each and every time on this day, this year, at that time, he looked for her. Each time he half expected her to be there like she had been that night, dressed in her pajamas...waiting for him. smiling at him, reaching for him... undressing him... and loving him with her whole body.

He shook a moment and tried to get a hold of himself. It was too early to cry. It was too early and he wasn't drunk enough. He wasn't so far gone that he really could see her, smell her... dream about her all over again. And that's why he did it. In some half ass, pathetic attempt to get that moment back all on his own.

He downed the next drink without much thought, unlike all the other times and poured himself another glass. This time, yes, this time he would make himself drink it slowly. He would honor Her that way at least. Not like some idiotic fool who didn't know how to handle himself... still... quaking in her shadow...

And then... out of the corner of his eye... a flash of green and pink made him take pause...

ooo

It took all of her nerve to walk in there. She was happy to discover it was still the same old place. Still a little dusty, a little rusty and rough around the edges. And all the same faces she'd known before she'd left were still there. Naruto and Sasuke were off in a corner talking. Hinata was with them and a few others from rookie nine. She was glad for that. And hell... was that Itachi? Yes.. it had to be... sitting over there with Asuma and Kurenai. A woman was by his side with brown hair and dark eyes. With the way his arm curled around her shoulders she could only assume that was Seiya.

She smiled softly... happy.

Her eyes continued to scan, her mind raced and her senses pricked with anticipation. And then her eyes locked on him, depths of never ending emerald green deepening on the sight of him... her crow. He was hunched over, slouching and sipping a drink of saki. In his free hand was the telltale orange book and tied to his hip was something she recognized as his father's blade. The same weapon that gave him the title The White Fang of Konoha.

With a deep... slow... and forced breath inward Sakura stepped forward and walked across the room. She brushed past people. Her movements were hushed, graceful and daringly pronounced. Each shake of her hips was not intended. But there was no way she would know that. And when she finally came up next to him, her insides trembling... all she had the courage to do was sit. Sit and order a damned drink of her own. Just like that night over fours ago... when she'd teased him, flirted with him... and allowed herself to think for a moment she was a woman worthy of Hatake Kakashi's attentions... even if she was only really teasing herself in the process.

But now? She didn't have that same sense of courage like she did that night. No, because now, all the rules were different right....right? She blinked as she sipped her drink, for a moment fully oblivious of the man next to her. The same man who always set her blood on fire with just a look... and an innocent one at that. Her mind wandered...

Well... why not? Why couldn't she just flirt with him and see where it went? How was this any different from that night long, long ago...

She smiled softly and looked down at her drink a moment longer as she gathered her courage. The shackles of nervousness and fear were tossed aside. She was a grown woman. Eighteen as far as Konoha was concerned, but twenty-two the reality of her mind. Which, really, made her only ten years younger than him. It was a funny thought if anything, in her mind. And it was enough to make her chuckled softly.

At this, Kakashi looked up from his book and over at her, good eye narrowing. Part of him wanted to ask her what she thought was so funny. It was always music to his ears to hear the only girl on his team, correction, woman, laugh about anything. The only voice of reason beside himself on Team Kakashi. He couldn't help but smile at her secretly. He wanted to say something, he was going to, and whatever it was going to be it was sure to be charismatic. But, then he recalled he was here to be alone. He shouldn't be smiling much less conversing with his team mate.

"Kakashi?" He heard a soft voice whisper and looked over at Sakura. Her pleading emerald eyes of seamless rippling green tugged at him. And why you ask? Of course you ask. You wouldn't still be reading this otherwise, now would you, dear reader.

It was fitting really. Because... because the woman next to him now reminded him so much of Her. Her face, Her eyes, Her laugh. Even if the vision of his lost love, his first love, was hidden in a haze... Haruno Sakura still reminded him of Her. Oh, well, not in the literal way of course. Sakura wasn't like her in the least... she only had these moments. Just like when She laughed, child-like and telling him about something... whenever Sakura did it... he saw her... for only a moment.

"Yes?" He finally asked her, deciding, if he were going to talk to anyone, it might as well her on this night of all nights. Simply because she did remind him of Her. And in that sense perhaps it really wasn't wrong at all, or staining to Her memory. She helped him remember _Her_. Tormentingly so.

Sakura sighed, her face that same wash of concern that Rin always got. The one that told him to be ready to make a quick joke. "You... don't look like yourself, Kakashi."

Well... there was something new. "No honorific?" He inquired.

That wash of Deja Vu was back again. But she rather liked it. Once again she was taking a sip of her drink. "No, no honorific, Kakashi." She narrowed her impish eyes at him, looking downright devious. "You've not been my sensei for years now. I should think we're past that."

He chuckled, not in the least bit surprised she'd managed to get him to do that on even this night. And right now, he forgot to feel guilty about it. "I guess I'm just use to it," he said. "The years roll by quickly, don't they?"

She wasn't sure if his words were meant to mean something more or not. But, she was going to tread lightly. She looked over at the book, the old Icha Icha and smiled. "I've read that one. It's very sad you know... the ending made me cry," she whispered.

Something rattled through him, something about the way she said those words. And yet as soon as it was there... it was gone just as quickly. Instead, he looked over at her with surprise in his one good eye. "Really?" He half smirked. "You've always told me how much you can't stand these books."

It was her turn to laugh. "Oh, Kakashi, people grow up. Even I've learned to try new things, or in this case, read new things." Her laughter ebbed into a soft chuckle. "No... but really.. it was a good story. When the woman lost her lover it really shook my insides. Jiraiya, pervert that he is... really does know a woman better than he thinks." She shook her head, taking another long sip of her drink.

He nodded and stared down at the cover. He'd closed it, deciding finally if he was going to enjoy her company... well... it might as well be without a distraction. He hoped She wouldn't mind. And that was all he could do... hope. It was all he was left with.

He just kept staring at the book, his heart straining and his chest aching. He wanted to burn. He wanted to catch fire right then and there. Maybe a little pain would help ease the claws tearing down the binds of his heart; slowly... achingly slowly.

He reached out, running slender fingers over the old worn cover. Flashes hit his mind, reminders of that day in the store room with Her. Her lips, Her hands, Her body, Her words and.. Her smell. It was enough to make him want to cry in anguish. He'd never more soundly wanted rip his heart from his chest than he did right then.

He must have been really lost in thought and terrible looking because when he felt a warm hand covering his he jumped. His one eye flew to her two. They caught, locked and held. He felt vulnerable. As vulnerable as he'd felt that day when She had found in him the drenching rain at Obito's grave-to-be. Could Sakura really see right through him? More so than Rin, Obito or Minato-sensei had ever tried to?

"Kakashi?" She whispered, reaching up and cupped his cheek. The emotions wide open in her tone were so much more than even she expected to have come from within.

He blinked at her. He stared. Like a deer caught in the headlights he stared. Sakura was and always would be his student, his team mate. He could never see her as anything else and he refused to use her like some half baked replacement for the love of his life. What he was doing right now was wrong. He should of just told her to leave him alone. To go away. Why he hadn't he could only liken to what she reminded him of... about Her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered back, pulling away from her. "I don't know why I'm doing this with you to begin with. It's wrong to you, and I apologize."

"Doing what?"

"Pretending? Losing myself? Hell if I know, Sakura." He chuckled bitterly and raked a hand through his silver strands. "Flirting with you. Letting you call me by only my name." He shook his head and stood. "Goodnight." Without waiting for much of a reply he was slapping some bills on the bar, grabbing his things and his bottle and leaving.

Sakura stared, slack jawed as he walked out on her, as he stepped out of the bar. A tiny voice nagging at her, screaming at her actually, to go after him. He didn't remember her... well, if he did... he didn't make the connection. Not yet. And she'd made a promise to herself tonight. If he wasn't going to remember her, to realize what was staring him in the face, she was going to do something about it. Even if it took her another two years.

She was slapping her own bills on bar and running. She ran right out of the bar, into the blazing night and right into the middle of a rain storm. She cursed herself silently and looked in every direction for him. But no matter where her eyes traveled he was no where in sight.

She kept running again, ruining her lovely dress and her beautiful heels. She had a pretty good feeling about where he'd gone to. And she was praying she was right. By the time she got there, leaping over the ivy covered fence she was aching, or at least her feet were. She panted and slowly made her way towards that old cherry tree. And there, beneath it was a fairly new looking gazebo. And within it's shade... Was Kakashi. He didn't see her right away and she didn't go in right away. She let the rain pelt her, soak her, drown her hopes and pains. And when he still didn't notice her, hunched over where he sat with the bottle, she did the only thing she knew to be fitting.

"I love you!"


	33. Chapter 33

**AN: **I want to let everyone know I thank them all kindly for their reviews. Each and everyone is appreciated. And I'd like to tell all of those whom I haven't replied to I apologize. I'm just so swamped up in writing this thing I can't seem to want to do much else. Ah! So, forgive me as I make up for it by writing ok? Oh, and since this thing is becoming a hell of a lot longer than I imagined...well... I'm turning into a Two Part Story in name only. Think of it like one of those big books you get with like... two books in one. I had no idea what to name the squeal story... and felt bad ending it on that last note...So... welcome to Part II!

**..Part II..**

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**..Chapter Thirty-Three..**

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_﻿__I miss the sound of your voice  
And I miss the rush of your skin  
And I miss the still of the silence  
As you breathe out and I breathe in  
If I could walk on water  
If I could tell you what's next  
I'd make you believe  
I'd make you forget_

_..._

_"Kakashi," his calm, even, yet all knowing tone addressed him more firmly._

_The tall man before him, in his mid-twenties, dressed to the duds in his ANBU uniform held an unusual defensive air. His stance was rigid and his shoulders a little too stiff. His hands were clenched into fists. When he spoke, it was cold, with too much emphasis placed on one word. "_What?_"_

_Minato sighed and leaned back into the chair that sat before the Hokage desk. He interlaced his fingers together and he leveled his gaze on him. The air around both was thick with something. "You realize you haven't given me a choice."_

_Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "You're not my father, sensei."_

_Minato's eyes narrowed in a deadly matter and he... if one could compare it to anything... looked like he always did right before he killed a man. He didn't raise his voice at Kakashi, but his tone did change. "No, I'm not. But you can be damned sure about one thing. If he was here with me right now he'd be agreeing with me. Hell, he'd be asking me why I hadn't stripped you of the rank sooner."_

_Kakashi slammed his flat palms against the oak of the desk. The sound rattled in the room, echoed even. But it didn't even make his former teacher flinch. And somehow that just made him angrier. "I work hard, damnit. I lay my life on the line everyday out there." He pointed to a window. "I've taken on more missions in the last six or seven years than most shinobi do in twice that. And you want to take that from me? The only good thing I know how to do?"_

_"That's my point, Kakashi," he said softly, sympathetically. "That's why I'm doing this to you." His face softened as well as he leaned forward. "You've been working yourself too hard. I've read your medical reviews, boy." He reached over and slapped a file the size of a loaf of bread flat on it's side on the desk. "And this is just from the last year. It should be a quarter of this at most. But it's not. And you know what that tells me?" He paused for the effect, but went on quickly after that. "It tells me you're just barely surviving. It tells me you're taking too many risks. It tells me you're not watching your damned ass, Hatake." With each word he tapped two fingers harder and harder onto the file._

_"You're getting careless," he whispered. "And if you're not careful it's going to kill you."_

_Kakashi swallowed hard. His form slackened slightly. Minato couldn't take ANBU from him. He just couldn't. It was one of the only things he had left of Her. It was one of the only things he had left to do. He couldn't function anymore. He couldn't really even talk to people. He hadn't for years really. He barely ate above what was necessary. He barely slept more than he could. And all he felt like was really left holding him together was that uniform and mask. If his sensei took those away... he didn't know what he'd..._

_"You've got to stop chasing ghosts and move on with your life, boy," Minato was whispering again, his eyes kind and knowing._

_"Let me look for her again," he begged. "Two months. Give me two--."_

_"No," he said sternly, deeply. "You spent nearly three years in Snow trying to find her. You almost died because of the hypothermia. If it hadn't been for the former Hyuuga branch member, Rin's dogs and Obito's eye we never would have found you. No, Kakashi," he said finality in his voice, "if she's not coming back... you might have to face the fact that she's--."_

_"Shut up!" He cried out, kicking a chair against the wall, shattering it has he took deep, grievous, heated breaths inward. "We made a promise," he said. "We made a promise..." his voice trailed off, weakening as he stood there, staring at the broken pieces of the chair in the corner. He turned swiftly to his former teacher, good eye blazing. Rage, pain, sadness all reflected there._

_"ANBU is all I have left of her, Hokage-sama... take that from me.. and you take my hope as well. Don't... " he swallowed, closing his eyes. "as a friend, a mentor, I'm asking you not to take that from me."_

_"I'm sorry, Kakashi... but you leave me no choice. I'm not going to lose one of my best shinobi, my best students, to carelessness. All because you can't get your heart out of your head. I'm not punishing you, I'm trying to protect you, damnit." He waved his hand wide. "You walk around here like a zombie half the time. And the other half your drinking yourself stupid when your off the mission roster."_

_He finally sat down in the only chair left in the room, hands digging into his hair, pulling almost painfully. "Then," he chuckled bitterly, "tell me what you expect me to do if not ANBU? Surely don't plan on just lowering me to Jounin? It's a waste of my talents."_

_Minato snorted and Kakashi was sure he'd never heard him do so such a thing before, calm man that he was, wise man that he was. "Of course not. But this isn't about your talents. However, since we are talking about those... yes, they will be used elsewhere. Wisely so. No, Kakashi, you won't be merely bumped down to Jounin rank. You," he said sternly, "will become a Jounin teacher to a group of Genin newly grads."_

_Kakashi flashed his eyes upward. Had he heard right? "You can't be serious."_

_Minato raised his brows. "Can't I be? Do I look like I'm joking to you? Do you know me so little?"_

_Kakashi blinked._

_Minato stared expressionless._

_"No," Kakashi ordered._

_"No?" He laughed softly. "No? You think you actually have a say in this?" He waited for a reply from his former student. When none came he continued. "I'm quite serious, Kakashi. This isn't a joke. You will be a Jounin sensei for a three man squad of Genin. You will teach and you will be responsible for their lives. And I hope, in the process, it teaches you how to be human again. About what is really important."_

_Kakashi's jaw clenched and his hands once again tightened to fists. "Then I'll fail them all. Each and every last team that crosses my path."_

_Minato shrugged._

_"You don't think I won't?" He smirked. "Do you know me so little to assume that?" He half mimicked his earlier words._

_"Hardly," he argued calmly. "I know you that well. And because of that I know you'll be hard as hell on whoever you get saddled with. But, when they prove themselves worthy, you won't purposely fail them, Kakashi. It's not in you to do so. To purposely start the ruin of one shinobi's career, no matter how insignificant."_

_He had him there, the silver haired man realized. He knew him too well. But he wasn't giving in yet. "We'll find out, won't we, sensei?" He stood up and headed for the door._

_"Kakashi."_

_He stopped, his fingers resting on the door knob as he waited._

_Minato smiled. "Your first set of miscreants? Don't forget to pick them up promptly at ten tomorrow. They'll be waiting at the Academy for you. Room 209. And don't be late."_

_He slammed the door as he left. But what did one more disrespectful action really matter? He'd already racked up enough in the last half hour with his teacher. And now... he was punishing him in the worst way possible. A teacher? Was Minato insane? Right now... he could barely handle himself. How could he possibly expect him to be responsible for the lives of three fucking green kids?_

_How?_

_..._

_And so it went after that. Months turned into a whole other year. Nearly so, anyway. And each time Kakashi was harder and more difficult on the first team than the last. Each time he failed them and each time many of them nearly went home in tears if not cursing his name. And he was quite sure, a handful of them never went back to the Academy, thinking perhaps they really couldn't make it._

_Minato should be happy, as far as he was concerned. None of those punks, green and wet behind the ears, were really up to snuff. None of them. Many of the boys were too concerned with being the next great badass, learning as many techniques as possible and for the most part showing him up. The girls? The single one he got on his team everytime? He got lucky most of the time, thank Kami. Many young women wanting to be a shinobi were at least open to the idea of getting a little dirty. However, not many of them, it appeared, were up to the idea of having the living shit scared out of them._

_They were all too young, too scared and too weak-minded to be ready. Was this what Konoha had really been producing for the last ten or twelve years? Kids too concerned with the unimportant things in life to really understand what being a shinobi meant? When he'd first went to war with his team he'd been fully prepared to take down the life of any man that got in his way or jeopardized his mission, his team's mission. Then he'd been far younger than any of these runts! He'd seen his first kill before twelve. They couldn't possibly begin to comprehend what that was like. Any of them._

_No, they were more concerned with the glory the career promised, the places they could go, the cushy benefits like drinking at sixteen or being considered and adult a whole year before that. Who didn't want to be out from under his or her parent's wings by then? He almost couldn't blame them... almost._

_But being a shinobi was so much more than the glory or the benefits. You could die out there any day in field. Anyway damned day. He saw enough of it as an ANBU captain. He'd lost more than a few team mates simply because they weren't ready. He was saving these kids. That was the only real thing he had to be thankful for in all of this._

_As time had passed a few of the other Jounin instructors had begun to wonder, even question what the hell he was doing anyway. Failing over fifteen teams? Really? There were rumors whispered about him all over town. So much so that some parents avidly tried to find a way to steer their children away from ever even making his team. And the ones who wanted their kids completely out of the shinobi life? They shoved him in his open path like lambs to the slaughter._

_Obito had finally come to him one day, after he'd failed the tenth team. And Kakashi had been forced to listen. Yes, forced. You try saying no to a lazy, bull headed boy who saved you life and see how far it gets you. He owed him and so Kakashi, as far as he was concerned, was forever indebted to him. Which is why he had been 'forced' to listen..._

_"Why are you doing this?" He asked._

_Kakashi shrugged, standing in the middle of the street with his best friend blocking his path. "Because they aren't ready. None of them were."_

_"Not ready...?" He narrowed his eyes on him, hands on his hips. "Ten teams, Kakashi? Ten? How could they all be so unprepared? It's what they've been brought up to do. I can understand one or two. Hell, even five. But ten consecutive teams in a row?"_

_"Hell, why are you asking me?" He leveled his gaze on him. "Go ask the damned Academy director. Or go ask those damned teachers who keep passing them and sending them my way. They're the idiots, as far as I'm concerned. Sending half wet behind the ears, green brats to me. Some with no sense of what being a killer means."_

_Obito came forward, he pushed him just a little. But Kakashi didn't budge. "Kids? Wet? Green? Do you have any idea what you're doing to them? Sure it might be your job to fail them, jackass. But, it's not your job to crush their dreams entirely. Do you know half those kids you sent back never even came back to the Academy? And a quarter of the ones who did were forced by their parents?" He looked ready to hit him. "Some of them can hardly hold a kunai anymore after what you put them through!"_

_"Then they aren't ready," he said simply with no emotion in his voice._

_"It's your job to make them ready!"_

_"Not if it comes with the sacrifice of losing their lives!" Now he _was_ yelling._

_Obito was silent a moment, too stunned to speak._

_"Being a shinobi means making sacrifices. No matter how we sugar coat it, or how we douse it in glory and myth, it's still a murderous, blood bath ridden career. You have to be ready to kill or be killed in the field. You have to be ready to die for your team, if that's what it comes down to." His voice was still raising, but heated as well. His fists clenched in his shinobi pant pockets. "Death is apart of our everyday life. And if the Academy can't teach them that neither can I." It was then he side stepped, too angry to go on. Because if it went much further he was afraid he might just hit his best friend. And that was something he couldn't do. Lose his cool._

_Obito turned around, eyes soft as he watched his back in the crowds passing them both. "You can't keep blaming yourself, bastard! Just because you lost her doesn't mean you'll lose them! Some day you're going to have to wake up and realize you're not as alone as you like to make yourself out to be, damnit! They're not all her!"_

_He turned back to look at him, stopping. "No... you're right. They're not," he began coolly, trying to hide the pain in his voice. "If they were even half, no, a quarter of the shinobi She _is_?" He left it at that, shrugging, and finally turned once more began to walk away; leaving Obito staring on at his back with a mix of sympathy and a need to help. However, even he knew he couldn't reach him._

_No... it would take a miracle to reach Hatake Kakashi. And unfortunately, she was no where in sight._

_..._

_Same dance, new day and three months since he'd spoken to Obito and failed five more teams. He wondered if he kept this up would Minato finally pull him off Jounin and suspend him for a while. And maybe, if he was lucky, he'd just give up and put him back on ANBU. And this time, hopefully, by himself._

_He walked half slouched down the long hallway in the Academy to the same room he did everytime. 209. It was the same room he met his new team in each time. The same room he quickly made his assessment each time and decided in moments whether they could stand it or not. It was the same room he would fail the team in his own mind before failing them in the training area._

_He gave a sigh, pausing as he took a quick look at their files. The pictures hadn't come in yet. He'd been told this batch of Genin students' pictures had gotten mixed up with some Chuunin retakes and it might be a few days before they had them ready. So, in the images places were blank rectangles with a small question mark. He didn't even bother looking at their names, only their stats. He didn't have time to get a detailed breakdown of them because he was late already. Late... late because he'd went to go do the same thing he did everyday when he could manage it._

_He snapped the files shut and came to the door. However, he paused, looking up and saw the dusty chalkboard eraser. His lips pursed in curiosity. Was this for real? Few ever dared to try and play a prank on him aside from Obito. No that Kakashi was stuck on himself or anything. But... he'd just gotten so use to the eager kids being all the more ready to please him, especially if they knew who he was. They did... didn't they?_

_He shrugged, and decided to play along. After all, Kakashi was one for surprises and fooling people into getting the wrong impression of himself. But, he waited a moment and edged near the door, leaning back into the wall as he hid the files away in his flack vest and listened..._

_..._

_(AN: The conversations in this chapter won't be exactly the same for obvious reasons. Although, it's the first time I didn't go back to episodes and try to match them as best as possible and word for word.)_

_..._

_"You can't be serious, idiot," a cool, young voice said. "A Jounin team leader is not going to fall for that. Hell, I wouldn't." Kakashi smirked, almost smiling._

_"Aw, what do you know, Sasuke? It's his fault for being late. And if he falls for it..." the other, happier voice he couldn't place trailed off._

_A sigh was heard and his keen ears could pick up perhaps someone crossing their arms over their chest in indignation. The girl, perhaps? "Sasuke's right. We shouldn't do this."_

_"We? Who said anything about we?" Sasuke said. "I've got nothing to do with this. If he gets pissed, if she gets pissed, I'm not in on it."_

_"Do you think it's a girl," the female asked with a happy tone to her voice. So.. they didn't know who their new teacher was. Why? Iruka should have told them. It wasn't like it was some great mystery. Hell, maybe he was trying to not scare them away too fast. Perhaps that was it._

_There was a pause from the first boy, Sasuke, and he thought he heard a shrug. He couldn't be sure because the kid's movements were so hushed. Maybe one of them wasn't completely hopeless yet. Too bad it took a whole team to pass. He was doomed the moment he was paired them; the two loud team members._

_"I don't care, really. So long as they're good."_

_A sigh was heard and he knew it to be the female's. But it wasn't the sort of sigh one got from confusion, frustration or irritation. No, it was a forlorn sigh. Great, he had another girl who was too stuck on boys to care about being a shinobi. And what was worse, a girl who was too stuck on a guy on her own team. Perfect._

_So, let's see... he had a prankster, a cool headed ego-maniac most likely with perhaps some promise, a girl who was more green than his vest and more distracted by boys than any of his last female students._

_Might as well greet the trio. He'd left them waiting long enough..._

_He came forward and grabbed onto the edging of the door. He slid it open and was sure to place his head just under the eraser so it hit his head as it opened the door. All previous talk in the room went dead silent as his new charges stared at him. He grunted softly and came in fully. He reached down and picked up the eraser. He stared at it for a while... a little too long, before looking up._

_And then he nearly blinked._

_"Kakashi!" The blond pointed. Minato's son. Naruto. "You're our teacher?" He looked at a loss for words._

_The next one he allowed his eyes to drift to without replying was the male who'd caught his interest. Sasuke. He was sitting at a long desk a few levels down all by himself. His hair was short bits of black and bangs half shaded in his eyes. Despite his calm and cooled features he still hadn't fully mastered the art of deception. Kakashi could see he was a little shocked just by reading his eyes._

_Finally, his eyes settled on the girl... and they stopped._

_Her hair was light, cotton candy pink. It was long and reached just to the base of her spine, brushing her buttocks. Her eyes were a cool, sea green that seemed to go on for miles. Her hands were clutched in front of her chest and she was biting her lip in worry. Nothing new there. All young girls were like that. Unfortunately, all young female shinobi seemed like that too. Like a scared little kitten. Still... there was something..._

_"I'm sorry, sensei! I tried to stop, Naruto. But he wouldn't listen!" He visibly ignored her, but mentally he could not. And he already knew why and wouldn't think on it. It was just another good reason to fail them all on the list he'd already racked up in just a few short minutes._

_"How to say this...My first impression of you guys..." he began while holding his chin and lifting his head upward to look at the ceiling... "I hate you."_

_..._

_All three kids, yes, kids as far as he was concerned sat before him on a set of concrete stairs. He sat on the railing, arms crossed over his chest as he once more looked them over. What a rag tag bunch. Entirely mismatched and quite possibly useless. Well, for now. Who knew what might happen in a few years. Everyone had possibilities and potential._

_"Alright," he started, "I guess we can begin by introducing yourselves."_

_"Introducing ourselves?" The female asked. "How?"_

_"Talk about your likes, dislikes and dreams," he said lazily with a wave of his hand._

_"Sensei!" Naruto began with a grin. "What about you?"_

_He almost wanted to chuckle at the boy's enthusiasm. He'd grown up in a interesting way. Too bad Kakashi had been too busy to spend much time with him aside from the occasional dinner or passing by in the Hokage Tower. "Me?" He pointed at himself. "My name? Hatake Kakashi. I have no intention of telling you about my likes or dislikes. As for my dream..." He looked upward, trailing off in thought. Once more he had no intention of telling them his dream. "I have few hobbies."_

_All three looked rather disappointed at that. Naruto frowned and the girl almost pouted. But it didn't bother him in the least. He had no intention of getting close to these kids. After all, they'd all be gone by tomorrow afternoon._

_"Neh..." The girl said to Naruto. "So all we found out was his name." She sounded like she was complaining. Behind the mask, he smiled only a little, much to his surprise. Naruto nodded in return._

_"Now it's your turn," he said swiftly. "You can go first," he looked at Naruto, figuring he was the easiest choice to begin with._

_He grinned at his sensei and grasped the top of his forehead protector. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like eating cupped ramen and going with Iruka-sensei to Ichiraku's. I dislike waiting for it to be made. My dream? To one day become Hokage just like my father and surpass even him." He chuckled. "But I love my mom's ramen best."_

_Kakashi nodded. He already knew that. He turned to Sasuke who was next in line. "You?"_

_The boy smirked. "Uchiha Sasuke. I have many likes and dislikes." He shrugged. "My dream? To follow in my brother's footsteps and become the greatest shinobi my clan has to offer, finally washing away the stain of my elders. My father."_

_Both of his team mates blinked at him, thinking perhaps he might be just as cryptic as their new sensei. But the pink haired girl still beamed at him; if not outright blushing at his admission. Kakashi was sure she was thinking just how utterly perfect her crush was._

_He coughed. "Very well... and you?"_

_The pinked haired girl blinked, pulled out of her daydream. She shook her head, smiled, and began. "Haruno Sakura. My likes? Well..." She looked to ponder, but much to his surprise she didn't giggle or laugh in Sasuke's direction. "I like to read," she said with a soft smile that warmed his heart in a way he didn't expect. "I like to learn just about anything I can. My favorite shinobi book is One Hundred and One Quotes, which is all about the expressions and sayings of the First and many other great shinobi."_

_Kakashi blinked, taken off guard. The girl wasn't an airhead after all. Perhaps his first impression had been wrong. A rare feat for anyone to accomplish. She liked to read. And not just anything... things that he had once considered wasteful study work as a boy. He'd have to take a better look over her file tonight when he had more time._

_"I dislike laziness, lateness," she pointedly looked at him, "and people who don't take things seriously." Her eyes shot to Naruto as she frowned._

_"What?" The boy shouted._

_She turned away from him, crossed her arms over her chest and went back to speaking. Spit fire, huh? Interesting. Not abnormal, but definitely interesting. "My dream..." she said slowly, thinking with a small smile. "Is to overcome my own weakness."_

_Kakashi blinked at that. He couldn't help but inquire. "Weakness?"_

_Sakura nodded. "I've always been very book smart. Even Iruka-sensei says so." Her nose wrinkled and he found the expression to be far more endearing than it should be for someone he was going to fail tomorrow. "But, even he says my physical prowess is lacking. So," she continued with a sigh, "I don't want to be left behind as a Genin. I'll do anything and everything I can to prove I can be more than just a third wheel on this team. That is my dream." She smiled brightly at him, her eyes closing with the action._

_Something tore deep into his chest. A knife was digging it's way down his heart as her words echoed in his mind. No, he would have to get rid of this girl. This whole team. He would find a logical, reasonable way to do it honestly. Because he just knew if he had to tolerate this girl on a team... for weeks... months... hell, maybe years if she lasted that long in field... he'd be losing his mind._

_"Alright!" He began to get serious. "Now that that's out of the way, we have a mission tomorrow."_

_Naruto shouted for joy. "Sweet! What kind of mission is that, sensei?"_

_"Something we four can do," he explained._

_"What's that?" The blonde questioned again, still just as excited._

_"Survival training."_

_Naruto blinked. "Survival training?"_

_Sakura narrowed her eyes, looking just as curious. "Survival training? Why would we need to do that if it's a mission? We had plenty of training at the Academy." She looked affronted. Perhaps he'd been mistaken before... reading too much into it. Seeing things with his eyes in her he shouldn't be seeing. This girl still had a lot to learn._

_"This is no ordinary training."_

_"Then what kind of training is it?" Naruto asked, his eyes crinkling like he was peering at him, almost closing like a curious fox._

_Kakashi started to chuckle, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned forward slightly. He was laughing because they still didn't have a clue what they were getting into. And there was no other way than the 'right' one to show them._

_Sakura frowned, eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed. "What's so funny, sensei?"_

_"Well," he still chuckled, "when I say this I'm sure you three are going to be surprised." Better to scare them like he always did first with words and then with the workout tomorrow. He smirked and explained, "Out of the twenty-seven graduates, only nine are going to become Genin. The other eighteen... will be sent back to the Academy." He paused for some dramatic effect. "In other words, this training is going to be a very hard test with a dropout rate of sixty-six percent."_

_They all stared blankly._

_"You see! You three are surprised!" He grinned._

_"No way!" Naruto shouted. "What the hell was the final exam for then?!"_

_He snorted, arms crossed over his chest once more. "That? It just helps picks out those who are qualified to become Genin."_

_"What?!" The blond was shouting again. He was sure Minato had told him nothing of this. He couldn't of course, no matter how much he wanted to._

_"Anyway," he drawled, "I'm going to determine tomorrow whether you pass or fail at the training grounds. Bring you ninja equipment and meet at five A.M.!" He watched for a moment as each and every one of their faces turned from fear, shock and then finally determination. He had to admit they were the most curious bunch he'd ever gotten. He turned around. "Oh, and don't eat breakfast. You're going to throw up if you do." He couldn't help but add that. Before he could read their expressions or hear their shout of anger he left in a flash of smoke._

_They weren't going to pass. He knew that already. But it was going to be fun watching them try. Perhaps... a little too much fun. Which was odd for him. He... he never really had fun doing this. And part him, a part of him that even he didn't know about... wished they would prove him wrong. Wished that one team, number sixteen at that... would utterly leave him with no choice but to pass them._

_..._

_"Idiots! The whole lot of you!" He reached for Sasuke's arms and pulled them painfully behind his back in a position that wasn't normal as he addressed Naruto and Sakura._

_"Stop it! Sasuke-kun!" she cried out, moving to reach for him._

_"You don't get it! Any of you, do you?" He said a little too angrily, seriously, like he was finally trying to convey to one team... this once for whatever reason... what it was all about. "Sakura, kill Naruto or I'll kill Sasuke!" When she just stared at him, he bellowed, "Now!" When she didn't moved he pulled a kunai from his pouch and pulled it tight across the boy's neck. Almost enough to cut. He could see his emotions were probably pushing him too far. Too far and with a team he just didn't know how to handle. He'd never lost his cool like this. Why now? Why with this team? What was so different about them?_

_What was it?!_

_Her green eyes went wide with fear and he swore he saw tears brimming there. "I'm... I'm sorry, sensei! Whatever it is we're doing wrong.. I'm sorry! I just... I can't fail here! None of us can! We've come too far." He squashed his nagging guilt as he watched the first tear fall. He heard Sasuke cough and knew he was wincing in pain. After all, if he pulled a little harder he'd be breaking his arm. Couldn't they see he was trying to teach them a lesson? This wasn't the life for them. Any of them. They weren't prepared for it... none of them were... Not like..._

_He shoved Sasuke away with a growl and stood. His kunai was pocketed. "Did you ever once think why this test was done this way? Did you ever think to question, 'Why two bells? Why not three?'. No, of course not. Because you, because all of those green brats they send me, aren't ready for it. Hell, you might never be."_

_All three just stared at him. Not one really getting a thing about what he was saying. Not one really understanding. And to think he'd actually, for a brief moment, held a glimmer of hope for them. That they might be the one team to prove him wrong. That maybe Minato-sensei had been right. That maybe..._

_"Ninja quote six-hundred and fourty-two," Sakura whispered, tears waning as she looked at nothing in particular. Kakashi's brows raised and he looked over at her, watching those green eyes run like clockwork. There was something hopeful in her words... something he couldn't place..._

_"What?" He whispered back. He'd heard all the same rules, quotes before. Even the revised ones. But he didn't remember them all. Certainly not the numbers. But... did she... no. He'd heard wrong._

_She looked down further from her place on the ground. "Those who break the rules in the shinobi world are trash... but those who turn their backs on their friends are worse trash," she whispered still. "Quote number six-hundred and forty-two. Author, Uchiha Obito, member of Team Minato during the Third Great Shinobi War. And," she went on, looking up at him with hopeful eyes, "team mate to Hatake Kakashi and Inuzuka Rin. Right?"_

_"What?" He said lamely again, lost at her words._

_"That's what you're trying to teach us, right, sensei? Team work? If we'd worked together and gotten the bells as one team we might have had more of a chance at getting them. Right?"_

_He didn't know what to make of it all. He'd never known that information was made public knowledge in the Academy. And he'd bet his left arm she'd been the only one to read about it. That couldn't be required reading..._

_He shook his head, forcing the fuzziness out of it. He cleared his throat. "I'll give you guys once more chance after lunch. Everyone eats but Naruto. Make sure you don't feed him or I'll really fail you all this time." And then he was gone again, hiding off in the distance behind a tree. Not just to fix his tormenting emotions, betraying eyes at her knowledge... but to also see what they might make of this latest test. If they even figured out it still was a test. He still didn't exactly know why he was giving them this chance... but he was._

_He waited and he waited. He listened as they ate. He half smiled as Naruto's stomach grumbled. And he found the shock of a lifetime when the boy selflessly told them not to feed him. He didn't want them to lose because of him. But Sasuke was hearing none of it. And neither was Sakura. And he sighed as he realized he'd have to pass them after all. So much for the stone cold Kakashi... so much for proving Minato wrong. It looked like his old sensei might still have a few more things to teach him... even if he didn't want to learn..._

_..._

_The wind tossed his strands later that day. And he stood in the center of the of a white gazebo in a familiar old garden ignored by the whole world. Vines crept over the walls. Weeds riddled in some corners he still hadn't gotten to in his free time._

_The breeze was cool and the sun was still bright in the sky. His only company was the birds who knew the secret of this heavenly retreat. Everyone else had forgotten but him and the few animals that still wandered about here._

_He reached out, bare fingers grazing the silver plate on the wooden beam as he stared. His fingers trailed over the words._

"The life of a shinobi is a short one. Don't leave it with any regrets. Live each moment until it's your last. Love until you can't anymore. Smile until it hurts. But whatever you do, don't leave with any regrets."--Her

_"I got word you finally accepted a team."_

_He didn't have to turn around to know who that voice belonged to. He closed his eyes, sighed and dropped his hand. "You knew all along when you hand-picked them out?"_

_"Who said I did that?"_

_Kakashi smirked, opened his eyes and turned to face him. Minato was just at the base of the gazebo stairs. He was sure he'd come see him at some point today. But even he was a little surprised his teacher still remembered this place. "I'm not an idiot, sensei. A little absentminded, but not completely clueless. See the underneath under the underneath, right?"_

_"Right." He nodded, smiling, almost trailing off. He took a few steps forward and up the stairs. His hand rested on a beam and he looked at it, patting a few times. "It turned out nicely." He glanced over at him. "I was beginning to wonder where you were carting all that wood."_

_"Can't get a thing past you, huh?" Kakashi shook his head._

_"Nope." He grinned. "You should know better." Minato leaned back into the beam on his right. His side was facing Kakashi and his arms were crossed over his chest as he looked upward. He was thinking. The silver haired Jounin could see it written all over his face. "She looks a lot like her, doesn't she?"_

_He narrowed his eyes, saying nothing._

_He smiled though. Whether he could tell Kakashi was bothered by his words or not the silvered haired man didn't know. And he was sure anything he said would come back to haunt him. Minato could be like that when he chose to._

_"Smart too. You know she got a perfect score on her written exams? Her average was the highest in the class next to another boy. The Nara kid. Not that you know him." He shrugged. "Iruka is worried about her. Naruto too. When he found out who I'd picked to teach them he wasn't too happy." He laughed. "I think he fully expected you to kill them today. It's hard to believe your reputation is that bad." He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye a second or so._

_"He tells me she's a good student though. Ready to absorb anything given to her."_

_Kakashi snorted. "Boy crazy is more like it. Silly, unskilled, no sense of reality, far too happy to be a real ninja. I give her three weeks with me before she changes her mind altogether, runs home, and we have to find someone else to replace her."_

_"Ah, but aren't you underestimating her again?"_

_Kakashi arched a brow._

_"Underneath the underneath, my friend. If I recall, once, long ago... over twenty years in fact... you underestimated another very similar girl. And, if you recall, like I do, she surprised you as well." He didn't look at him, still remaining in that position on the beam. "You're being careless again, Hatake." Without much else he was pushing off the beam and walking away._

_Kakashi's eye narrowed again. He stepped forward as his sensei walked off. He grabbed onto the beam and watched. He was wrong. Even Kakashi had never stepped out of her shadow. Even he was still shaded while the light bathed her. And if he couldn't do it... what made Minato think these poor pack of kids could. Not one, not even the girl with similar features, smiles and laughs... could accomplish that. Because She had something no one else did..._

_.. something so far out of his reach even he couldn't put a name to it. Something filled with heart, determination and a will to never fail. The same will that never allowed her to let him or any of Her team fail._

_ooo_

"I love you!"

Kakashi looked up, eyes riddled with brimming tears. Through the haze, the fog of the downpour... his breath caught and all he could see was Her. He was dreaming, he was losing his mind. Was he that far gone already? Was he that drunk yet? No, he couldn't be. He blinked and rubbed the bridge of his nose and pinched. When he looked up again and his vision cleared he saw...

"Didn't you hear me?" Sakura cried out, fists at her sides as she came forward, drenched to the bone, soaked through and through. Her lovely dress was ruined. "I said, I love you."

His eyes narrowed in caution and slowly, he picked himself off the floor of his sanctuary. What was she saying? Love? Was he dreaming? Was this what losing his mind looked like? Imagining his student as his former lover, confessing her love? Whatever she'd said, it wasn't that. It couldn't be.

She moved forward and gripped his arms. She shook him and he was in too much pain, shock to stop her. But he didn't miss the tears pricking her eyes. Why was she crying? What was he suppose to do about it? She wasn't a little girl anymore. And comforting her would be too much for him. Because after all, she was only an after image.

"Did you hear me?"

"What?"

"I love you," she whispered. "I love you. How many times do I have to say it to get some kind of response from you?"

He shook his head. He pushed her away. Like a bucket of cold water it hit him. Everything that had been wrong before was becoming even more wrong. Is that why she'd sat with him tonight? Easing his pain without even knowing it? He kept shaking his head. "No, Sakura, you don't know what your saying."

Her eyes narrowed as she realized he was trying to placate her, patronize her. "I'm not a child," she whispered harshly at him, less than one foot away from him. "And if I tell you I'm in love with you, I mean it."

"Why?" He caught her gaze with his one eye.

"Why?"

"Yes, _why_? What reason could you possibly have for loving someone fourteen years your senior? To many people, many young women your age, I might be good for a tumble in the sheets," he said, emotions keeping him from being less than crass with his words, "but I'm not someone you profess you're undying feelings for, Sakura. And I'm not someone who.... Who...--."

"Who what?" She yelled, arms moving aggressively. "So what if I'm younger? Does it matter? Are you really so blind as to think you don't possess qualities I might find attractive? That perhaps it might not just be about your looks?" She snorted, realizing he didn't know she'd seen his face already and added, "not that you'll ever let anyone tell that otherwise."

"That's not the point--."

"Then what is?" she cried back.

"I'm in love with someone else!" when he said it, his voice was louder than he ever remembered it being in front of her. In front of any of team seven. But the look she was giving him, the wide-eyed, tear ridden, scared look was telling him he'd gone too far. Without thinking much about it and knowing it was a bad idea, he reached for her. He pulled her sopping wet form into his embrace. His equally wet embrace. He placed her head on his chest and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry..." he breathed out. "It's not you, Sakura. It's not you.... don't cry. Please... It's not your fault... I'm just a terrible old man who doesn't really deserve anything that's been handed to him. And I've got too many regrets to count, no matter what I've tried to do about it." He gripped her tighter. "Don't say you love me... because even if I wanted to love you in return... I couldn't." He chuckled bitterly. "Someone else already had my heart... and she left me... a broken mess like this a long time ago..."

Her eyes barely opened and she relished the feeling of his arms around her. Each time he spoke. Each word he said... no, he wasn't involved with someone else. He was still in love with her. He hadn't forgotten her. But he wasn't making the connection either. And... with heartbreaking clarity... she realized she couldn't tell him yet. Hell.. maybe never if he didn't figure it out on his own. He wouldn't believe her. She was sure of it. If he hadn't come to his own realization like Itachi he was going to think she was crazy. Then... all really would be lost.

She cried for herself. She cried for him. She cried because everything had worked out. But her... the love of her life just didn't know it yet. And it was her fault. It had to be. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him back.

"I don't care..." she whispered.

"What?"

"I don't care," she said back and pulled away slowly to look up and into his good eye. "I want you to give me a chance anyway."

He started to shake his head. "I don't want to hurt you."

She frowned. "Let me worry about that."

"Sakura..." He sighed. "This is insanity." He pushed her back and placed his hands on her shoulders as he tried to talk some sense into her. "I could name any number of reasons why this is a bad idea."

"Go ahead," she said. "Name them."

He sighed again, feeling a fight coming on from her. "For one I _am _fourteen years your senior. People will talk."

"Since when do you care about appearances?" She grumbled. "Everyone else says Icha Icha is porn but you still read it in public."

"It's not about me, Sakura. It's about you. People think highly of you..."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't give a damn anymore than you do. Next?"

He could see this wasn't going to be easy. "We're on the same team."

"And?"

He nearly laughed at her naivete. "And? What if it doesn't work out?" and he knew it wouldn't... he was only humoring her. Trying to talk her down easily. "We'll still be on the same team. And it might create a problem. I've seen it happen before with other teams."

She snorted. "Do you honestly think if it didn't work out, as you seem to have so little faith in this, that Naruto or Sasuke would ever really let us break the team up over it? Ha! I'm crazy? Insane? You're going to have to do better than that, Hatake. Next?"

She was slowly knocking every good reason out of the ball park he had in it. And he could hardly argue with her logic. "Fine, I'll give you that. But, were still back to reason one. I can't give you what you want..." His eyes narrowed as he released her shoulders slowly. "Even if I wanted to..."

"I'm not asking you to marry me, Kakashi."

"Then what are you asking me?"

She waved her arms in half defeat. "I don't know. I haven't got it all planned out. And you're thinking a little too far ahead for me to think right..." Her eyes met his. "I guess all I'm asking for right now is a chance... maybe a few dates... a start at something. We don't have to label it or make it complicated. And we don't have to do anything you don't want to." She reached for his hands, glad he didn't stop her. "Maybe I want more... but I'm willing to wait for it... even if you never want to give it to me... alright?"

Kakashi stared down at their linked hands and sighed. Her words washed over him. And it was the last set that had his mind going back to that place all over again. The place where they'd both promised each other they'd wait...

He looked up and into Sakura's eyes. He felt like he was at a crossroads. On one hand, he didn't want to break his word. And on the other... he didn't want to be alone anymore. But... he didn't have to do anything wrong. Or anything he considered wrong. Sakura had said as much. She would only do what he wanted. Nothing more. And it didn't have to be a date... it could just be two lonely friends spending time together...

He gripped her hands back, squeezing. "Alright..." he finally agreed, coming to a conclusion that didn't unsettle his conscious or his heart. "When?" The smile that ran across her face was worth it after all. Even if he would be just pretending... maybe it was ok to pretend for a little while... and maybe, just maybe, he could do it without hurting her. Because he was sure if he hurt Sakura it might be the real end of him. He might not be in love with her, might not ever be, but he still hated seeing her broken.


	34. Chapter 34

**..Chapter Thirty-Four..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_1st year_

_Day 1_

_Time, 0700 hours_

_Cherry,_

_It's been about six months, five days, two hours, thirty-five minutes and twenty-six... twenty-seven... twenty-eight seconds since you left. I suppose I should stop counting, huh? If you were here you'd call it pitiful. No.. you were never that harsh. I suppose at most you'd laugh, crack a good natured joke and set my mind at ease; back to where it should be._

_Obito and Rin finally tied the knot. You would have loved the wedding. Rin insisted on Minato-sensei speaking the vows. At first he seemed slightly apprehensive. I can tell you, I'd never seen the man at such a loss for words or so unsure of himself. But Rin can get the best of men to agree with her notions. Sometimes I think those eyes of her's are her real secret weapon. Pakkun says so anyway._

_You don't know who he is. Rin's mother had a runt in her litter of pugs. Rin was at her whit's end at the time, too busy with much else to take him on. So, as you can imagine, the little imp ended up at my place for a few weeks since I was off duty. After that? Well, he grew on me and the rest is history. Unfortunately, now, it seems like I've become the go-to-guy to take on runts. I've ended up with a whole pack of them. Thankfully... They can take care of themselves now. They pretty much do what they want until I use a summoning jutsu. Rin thinks I'm nuts for not keeping them on hand all the time. Ha! Most shinobi have one animal nin. One! I have a whole pack of them. No, even with their trained movements it would be too much work to keep an eye on them all the time and underfoot._

_...I miss you, you know. It's just not the same here without you. Minato assigned me to a new team of ANBU grads and named me a captain. Somehow that doesn't seem right. I always figured if we ever got a team of our own, besides ourselves, of course, you'd end up in my place._

_It should be you here, not me. It should be you plotting out the battle plans, choosing the directions, giving the pep talks I was never much good at. I'm trying though... I'm trying to fill the gap you left. It's not easy. It might not ever be... but I'll do my best to fill your shoes until you return..._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

Her eyes shut in heavenly bliss and she sucked up the cool stuff. Icy bits mixed with a delicate mocha flavor slid down her throat. She wanted to leap for joy. She wanted to sing to the heavens. She wanted to call Kami himself and tell him just how wonderful he was. It had been four years. Four damned years since she'd been allowed to partake of this particular perfection Konoha offered.

An Icy Mocha Frappachino.

It was all hers and no one was going to take it from her. It had taken everything in her not to act like an absolute moron when she spied the coffee shop and dove at it like a woman starved to kiss it's walls. She had run though. And she'd nearly knocked five people down in her desperation to have her 'drug'. At least with that she could face the day and finally greet her shishou.

Everything was nearly the same in Konoha. When she'd went shopping yesterday she'd hardly had a chance to really look, her mind too preoccupied with a certain Jounin/former sensei. Then she'd been far too hung up with other things to do anything, much less sightseeing. But now she did get a chance to look. There were a few new shops, she realized; some new coats of paint here and there, a school for civilians she'd never even seen before and whoot! an ice cream shop!

She was happy to be home. She was unbelievably glad to see familiar faces. It was good to relax, doing something as simple as going to work. It was grand to know her biggest worry of the day included something as simple as asking her teacher about an ANBU recommendation. Of course the general idea around it was complicated considering her 'past'. However, the stress of doing so was... normal stress. It wasn't the heartbreaking-have-to-succeed-or-all-is-lost kind of stress she was use to. She welcomed the monotony to come.

The only un-monotonous thing in her schedule would be... Kakashi. Her Crow. The man had been more than a few shades to wind last night. The entire conversation in the gazebo seemed all off balance... maybe she'd been too forward? Was it too soon to reveal her feelings; especially when that's all she had to grasp for at the moment?

When she had sat down at the bar that night she'd known soon after he hadn't made the connection. Why she couldn't fathom. And when he'd run off she'd been more than a little heartbroken. He wasn't being callous. But he had been trying so hard to hide from her emotionally. Sadly, alcohol made that impossible for just about anyone. Even her Crow. She knew it from experience. He'd always been able to hold his drink, but get him talking about the right thing... at the right time... well... anything was possible then; at least verbally. He became an instant fountain of information for the right listener. Not about missions of course, but about his feelings. Missions he never kept bottled up like his feelings. So when he did finally relax, binging on saki and let loose his sense of caution, there was no telling what the right voice might be able to pull from his heart.

After she made sure he got home ok last night she'd went home herself... and admitted just what had really been stopping her from doing what she'd wanted to...

_..._

_The door to her small, one bedroom apartment slammed shut. Her bag was tossed against the wall, nearly shattering a vase in the process. If she'd been paying attention at all she probably would have been more careful. After all, it had belonged to her mother; a gift when she'd moved out of the house on her fifteenth birthday._

_"Eon!" she screamed to the room, eyes narrowed and lips twisted into an angry frown. "Damnit! I know you can hear me! You can hear everything, you old coot! Eon!" A short pause..._

_"Eon!"_

_Silence greeted her._

_She called and called. She called until she was hoarse. She called until she was out of air, until her lungs nearly halted in protest. She called to him until her chest heaved. Until she fell to the floor and broke down. Not once.. not once since they'd fixed everything had Sakura actually broke down._

_She'd cried in Cloud when he'd nearly died from using the Chidori too much. She'd cried when he got poisoning from an arrowhead dipped in tainted blood from Mist, and at the agony of his screams which were too much to bear as she pulled it from his body, his pours. She'd cried when he'd proposed. She'd cried in joy when they both got the news they had been two of twenty selected to graduate ANBU._

_She'd held in her tears when she left him alone in the bed that night. She'd held in her tears each and everytime they said goodbye with their bodies and their mouths for a week strait as she'd tried to be strong for him; like she always did. She'd held it all in as best as she possibly could over half an hour ago in the rain._

_It wasn't because he didn't remember her. He did. It's because she didn't know how to tell him. It's because she lacked the courage to do so. It's because she was now the one frightened; not him. When she'd heard him say she'd left him a broken mess... HER... she'd wanted to tell him. It was on the tip of her tongue to show him the necklace and blurt out the whole story._

_But then he'd said that word..._

Broken_._

_No... she'd been half wrong. It wasn't just fear of him not believing her despite all the evidence saying otherwise. That was just a small part of it. Almost insignificant in her mind._

_What was really keeping her from saying it all, speaking her heart... was her own guilt. She didn't deserve him. Not one inch of that beautiful man who loved her; who waited for her. She'd left him because she had no choice. She'd not been able to tell him the truth because she hadn't been allowed to. And in the process she'd ruined him. She'd waited moments for him while he'd waited years. Over fifteen long, heartbreaking, years._

_She cried._

_It poured._

_It soaked her face._

_Her nose ran until she couldn't breathe. Her insides shook even when she didn't think they could anymore. Her hands gripped onto her ruined dress, almost ripping with her own strength, surprised she had any left. Her eyes rained liquid pain until it stung, until dehydration kicked in. But even when she thought it was all over she continued to cry. She died with each drop. She hit the floor until her knuckles burned, until they bled in all her desperation. She coughed, she took deep, pathetic breaths inward and she screamed until she couldn't once again._

Broken..

_The word rattled in her mind over and over again. His voice saying it haunted her. She blamed herself. She hated herself. Eon had told her to have faith. How? How could she after what she'd seen tonight? After what she'd _done_ to him? Her determination hadn't wavered in her mind; but her heart was another story._

_Faith written in the dictionary will read something mechanical about loyalty to one's god or country. But to actually define it you have to look beyond the word itself. Faith... faith is knowing, believing despite all things saying otherwise... that what isn't going to happen will. And right now, in that moment, it was the hardest thing for her to do._

_She had called Eon, cried for him, not to blame him or yell. Though Kami knew she wanted to. She needed advice. She needed someone to talk to. She needed some kind of confirmation that whatever she was trying to do now was the right thing._

_It was, wasn't it? Could not telling him really be justified by the stupid excuse that he wouldn't believe her? Or was it both? On one had if she told him and he didn't believe her he'd hate her for thinking she was playing a sick joke on him. And if he did... would he still hate her?_

_He was once more that hard man to read. The one who kept his guard so firmly in place. And that was her doing. But she could see he was on the verge of breaking entirely. Because of her. Maybe it wasn't just fear. Maybe it wasn't just her being selfish. Maybe she was also afraid that if she'd told him over and hour ago, too soon, he wouldn't be able to handle it._

_She had seen he was on the brink already. All those years of waiting for her had done something to his mind. He was damaged and she did that to him. Telling him... explaining to him... it might run him over the edge entirely... He would snap, she was sure of it._

_And these years of being on his team, the new memories she couldn't remember, had to torture him more. She was a living, breathing, walking after image of the love of his life. At least in his mind. Even her name was the same. That couldn't be easy on a man. Add that added in with the fact that he'd gone roughly ten years before meeting her younger self, before she joined his team... it was like barely crossing the wires of a bomb waiting to go off to ultimately blow up in your face._

_She sighed on the floor, wiping her eyes._

_She needed someone to talk to. She needed Eon as she had in the past to help her sort this out. To tell her what was the right way to go in all of this. But he wasn't here. He wasn't coming. And she simply didn't want to burden her two boys with this. Not when they were finally happy._

_Right now she was just as big a mess as her Crow. Just as damaged and just as broken because of what she'd done to him. And right now she'd give anything to have someone to help her sort this shit out. Anything to have someone to confide in..._

_...anything._

_..._

Sakura shook her head like she was trying to let it all go; at least for a few hours. It wouldn't be easy; however if she was planning on laying this bombshell on her shishou, well, she needed to. And the more she thought about Hatake Kakashi, her own fears as well as problems, the worse it all got. The more Sakura tended to think about anything too emotional the more stressful it got and more she seemed to screw it up later on.

No, she needed her head straight today, if even for only a little while.

So, with a deep breath and another euphoric sip of her coffee she headed past the doors of the hospital. Unfortunately it was then she realized, as she looked at the clock, she was a good twenty minutes late because of all the idle thinking she'd done.

She did the only thing she knew she could do in order to have any hope of placating her teacher for such an offense.

She ran.

She ran down the halls, nearly crashing with a few nurses taking a coffee break. Thankfully as the last second she'd managed to leap over them, skidding to a slide at the end of another hall before she ran off in another direction. She completely avoided the elevator and raced up the emergency stairs. She had ten flights to go before reaching her office. They must have done a remodel on the place at some point, because the last time she checked it had only been three stories in her former reality.

Were there ever this many medical nin before? Christ, twenty of them just passed an open door. She'd only glanced a moment. That's all it took for a shinobi of her level.

Three more flights to go. The signs were telling her she was getting closer. Two more flights. One more flight... There!

She dashed through the last door and frantically looked around for some sign of where the director's office was. But just as she started to walk off in one direction someone snagged her in another. She cried out in surprise and whirled around since she had other choice but to do so.

"What the hell took you so long?" A woman groused. "Do you know Tsunade-sama has been waiting over an _hour_ for you?"

Sakura blinked. "Rin?"

Her purple-brown eyes looked at her briefly. "Yes, 'Rin'. Who else would it be since Shizune has been studying abroad with Genma?" She grumbled. "I should knock you on your ass, girl, after what she's put me through. I swear, I don't know how you and Shizune do it. Where do you hide the liquor? How does she always find it when _I_ hide it?"

Sakura laughed. Not just because Rin looked so out of her whits end it was humorous, but also because it all seemed funny in general. "You're the replacement co-director next to me now?"

"Yes," she muttered, still dragging her. "Not that I wanted it. I was just fine being the one who took house calls. Now they've given my perfect job to Ino. And that... _woman_ knows I hate so much responsibility. She's doing it on purpose. She loves seeing me suffer under paperwork."

Sakura's lips twitched. "So... Ino told me me to be here by eleven... Not ten."

"That sill makes you a whole twenty minutes late. What were you doing? Daydreaming?"

"Sort of... anyway," she said back, "why would Ino tell me eleven if it was ten instead?"

Rin rolled her eyes as they turned down another hall. She finally released her arm, convinced she wasn't going to run off for fear of Tsunade's wrath. She would have. She had. "That's because Yamanaka has got her head in the clouds over that Akimichi boy."

"_Choji?!_"

"Shhh!" Rin hissed as the stopped in the hall and she faced her. "Tone it down. This place is a gossip mill if there ever was one. Worse than the civilians in the market. You should know that." She shook her head and gripped a clipboard tight to her chest. "Anyway, she doesn't know I know. I doubt she knows herself." She frowned.

"But... Choji?" Sakura blinked, surprised. She always figured Ino would end up with... well... someone else. She really needed to get her new memories soon. There had to be something in there somewhere about this. Ino would confide in her.

Rin shrugged and continued walking. "Don't ask me. I just know everytime I see her she looks lost in the eyes. And everytime he comes to see her about Asuma or a mission she acts like a besotted, defensive fool."

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "That sounds a little like Ino. But... she didn't act like that around Sasuke."

Rin laughed. "That's because she thought she was in love with Sasuke, _Kohai._ She's _actually_ in love with Choji."

She blinked again. She decided immediately it would be weird getting use to Rin as her... well, she didn't know what to call it. She was use to being her teacher, mentor, not the other way around. Maybe this was more of a twilight zone than the past.

"Alright, _sempai,"_ Sakura drawled with a hidden smile, an untold secret. "Then what about Choji?"

She snorted. "He's just as bad as her. Accept, due to how she behaves, he's generally on the defensive with no real idea as to what he's done wrong. But you can tell there's something more there going on. And he knows it." She sighed. "I can tell you this much, if something doesn't get done about it soon, the whole thing is going to blow up."

"Maybe I'll talk to her," Sakura murmured.

"I was hoping you'd say that when you came back from the last mission." She looked relieved. "I'm too busy with paperwork until Shizune returns."

Sakura just smiled as they stopped in front of the double doors to her left. She looked as Rin rested her hand on the knob and glanced over at her.

"Ready to face the dragon?"

Sakura chuckled. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

Rin nodded. "Good luck." She opened the door for her and stepped back as Sakura went in. With an empathetic smile she shut it behind her.

Sakura exhaled and turned to face her teacher. She placed her hands behind her back and stepped forward. She was sitting behind her desk, the back of her tall leather chair facing Sakura so she still couldn't see her. The windows beyond were large and showed the village in almost it's entirety. She could see why Tsunade had chosen the tenth floor instead of the first like before.

She glanced around at her surroundings as she waited. Everything was a little cushier. She must have been right in her assumption that Konoha was doing better than she'd known it to be before. She half wondered if all the medical shinobi meant Tsunade had finally realized her dream of equipping every three man team leaving the village with at least one medic.

She smiled softly as the chair finally started to turn around. Her teacher's face a mixture of irritation and impatience. No real surprise there. Her hair was the same shade of blond split into two ties at the base of her neck. She still bore the small jewel in the center of her forehead, and her clothes hadn't changed at all. The only thing Sakura could note as different, and honestly she wouldn't have noticed if her look over wasn't so sharp, was the silver band on her ring finger.

That made her arch a brow, but nothing more.

"You're late," she snapped.

"Yes, shishou."

"By more than a whole hour, Haruno," she snapped again.

"Yes, shishou."

She waved her hand idly, her face showing disgust. "And look at you. You're not even dressed in a lab coat yet." She kept on looking and pointed to a brown wrap on her arm, tied there to hide her tattoo. "And why are you wearing that? Are you injured?"

She blinked. "No, shishou... I.." she tied to come up with an excuse. She hadn't expected anyone to question why whether or not she'd placed it there. Many shinobi wore odd things like that.

"I'm using it to--."

"Take it off. There's no reason to hide the tattoo, girl. People will find out soon enough. And anyway the mask will keep anyone from knowing who you are when you choose to take on those missions."

Her mouth moved to form words and her mind drew a blank. Her jaw dropped and shut several times. _What?_

Tsunade sighed. "I said, take it off. Surely you're not still trying to hide it everyone? From Kakashi?" Her eyes narrowed and she leaned forward, arms bracing on the desk. "Listen, I agreed to keep this a secret between me, you and Minato-sama when you asked because I knew you wanted to make Kakashi your sponsor for the first year. I understood when you said you didn't want to worry him, your entire team, and I willing made the excuse that your six month absence was spent with Shizune and Genma, working on your herbal expertise abroad."

She grumbled and sat back. She waved her hand idly. "Nevermind, I guess. If you want to keep it from them until the ceremony and after you pass the verbal exam with Minato I understand. You have to know it's only a custom, though. You've passed already. It's why we made you get the tattoo before this last mission." She shrugged. "I still say it's better he know before he hands you the mask..."

"_What?_" She was whispering, half in disbelief.

Tsunade sighed long and hard. "Has your memory run away this morning? Are you daft, girl?" She grunted. "You've known about this for months. You're the one who asked me. You're the one who begged me to find a way to get Kakashi to be your sponsor, you're only team mate for next year when you're not with Sasuke and Naruto. You're just lucky he's been wanting to get some ANBU level missions for a while. S-class." Her lips pursed in thought as she reached for her mug of coffee. Or at least what Sakura could assume was coffee... "Too bad he's been wanting to go solo... Minato was having none of that." She exhaled, sighing again. "I hope you know you've got your work cut out for you."

It all hadn't sunk in yet. Not hardly. But she was asking again, her mouth moving on it's own because of what she'd said about Kakashi. She needed to play along until she got her thoughts sorted out and maybe asked someone else about this. Did Itachi know? she hoped so. He was ANBU. "What do you mean?"

Tsunade blinked this time, as if surprised she'd asked or maybe because she hadn't realized she'd said that out loud. "Well... not that you really have to know..." she shrugged and look off to her right. "But, the last time Kakashi was on a two man ANBU team was... well, it was roughly ten years before he became you're Jounin teacher."

"Why did he quit?"

"He didn't quit. Not willingly. Minato-sama had to rip him out of the rank forcefully."

"What..?" She wanted to know. She had to know.

"I really don't like explaining all this. So I'll get it out in one shot, ok? After that I expect you to never speak of it again. It's not even my business to tell. Understood?"

"Yes, shishou," she whispered quickly as she stood before her desk.

"Kakashi had a team mate long ago. A young woman who taught Rin everything she knows aside from me. Her medical prowess was almost unheard of at her age and many people still say she was my second coming; that it was such a shame to see her go." She sat back in her chair and relaxed into it's softness. "I only met her once." She frowned, her mind drifting back. She stopped speaking for a long while and Sakura almost prompted her to go on. But she shook her head and continued, dusting off foggy memories. "They were close, or so Minato tells me. And no two man ANBU unit ever worked so well together. This was, of course, before we had enough of them to make it a team of one sponsor and one new graduate. They worked so well together after the initial year Minato kept them on the same team as Kakashi requested."

"What happened?" She asked, waiting. All this she knew already. She need to know what happened _after._

"Well... a few years passed after she left the village on a mission with her original team. One turned into three and so on and so on... "

"And?"

She sighed. "I don't _know_ the details Sakura. I do know whatever that girl's leaving did, it left Hatake Kakashi so messed up he became utterly dysfunctional. He took too many risks in the field. He died half a dozen times and his medical reports from back then fill a whole three level filing cabinet."

Sakura swallowed, feeling... pain assailing her senses. She couldn't speak.

"This is why I'm trying to ward you off of him, girl. He won't accept a two man squad. He might do it because Minato is telling him it's the only way he'll agree to letting him back on part time. But, he won't accept _you_ as the other half of that duo. Only _she'll_ do. And _she's_ not coming back," she explained, "No, Hatake Kakashi might have been your Jounin team leader until all three of you made that rank yourselves. But that was different. That uniform? That place? It's private. And as far as he's concerned no one will ever be able to take _her_ place. Take my word for it, girl," she finished sternly as she pulled out a few pieces of paper and a pen to work, "Pick someone else to be your sponsor, you're team mate for a year, while you still can."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Whooooo... so, the reviews are raking up and I've had quite a few questions, comments, worries and outright raging fits from reviewers. Ok, maybe not raging fits, but some upset people at any rate. So, as best as I can remember, I'm going to try an answer them all. There's just getting to be too many reviews to answer them all here. So, from now on, if you have a question you want to have answered publicly make sure you write that in your review and I'll do so here.

**Q: Itachi remembers and made the connection, why didn't Kakashi?**

A: I'll be answering that question in the story soon with a key conversation. Until then, you'll be left hanging. Sorry guys.

**Q: Why didn't she show him the ring, tell him word for word conversations that they had? Why didn't she tell him?!**

A: I kinda hope this question was answered in this chapter. It'll be covered more fully in the next one. Basically Kakashi has gone the last... oh... technically eighteen years waiting on HER. He was crushed at first. Obviously tormented. That can't be easy for any person. We're not talking about him waiting a few weeks or months. Were talking about years, holding his heart out on the line with nothing but a promise to keep him together; to keep him sane. He doesn't even know if she's alive or dead. But he refuses to think dead. He spent years looking for her and almost died. And then, THEN, to top it all off he got landed on a team with someone who looked exactly like her. She sounded like her, she had the same hair... the same face, the same laugh. But it wasn't HER. Sakura, the one who went back into the past, while she _was_ a thirteen year old girl she acted like an eighteen year old girl. Like a woman who'd been primed for the field like all the other shinobi who'd been through the war then. So, that just sorta adds to it. Logic and reason tell him the twelve year old girl he met is NOT his Cherry. But it still torments him. and it's been tormenting him for the last six years. I meant it when I said he was broken. Utterly so. It's not just a word I'm using lightly. He's damaged. And quite possibly on the edge of really losing his mind.

So where does that leave Sakura? With some very, very careful ground to tread on. What will it all mean in the future chapters? Read and find out, folks. This is my first 'epic' story. And I intend for it to be every bit that one word.

**Q: (No one asked this, I just wanted people to see it since no one noticed!) What's with the Akatsuki ring Itachi was wearing in the chapter he was watching young Sasuke fight Gaara with Naruto and Sakura?**

A: Yes, it's his ring when he'd become an Akatsuki member in the other time line. Or it would be. Whatever, anyway, Sasuke will ask him about this later too.

**Q: WHY are you torturing us like this?! (General consensus it seems..)**

A: I'm a writer! It's my job to do that! Anyway, I love this story. I'm not just trying to drag it out to be filler or whatever. I'm doing it because this is how I dreamed this story would be when I first envisioned it. I promise, whatever comes afterward, and believe me I know what does, it'll be worth it and you'll be thankful to me for dragging it out. It'll be heartbreaking. It might make you cry. And it might even make you want to scream at me. But you know what? If at the end o the day I caused that kind of reaction, any of those, from my readers? Well, I know I've done my job

Thanks to you all,

Blade


	35. Chapter 35

**..Chapter Thirty-Five..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_

_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

_You've gone away_

_You don't feel me here anymore_

**..**

**.**

His cool ice blues stared across the desk and his hands were clasped, fingers interlaced in front of his face as his elbows set on either armrest. His gaze leveled on the man before him like they had not so very long ago. Accept, that time he'd been ripping the rank from him. Today it was just the opposite. Today, he was going to give him the chance to take it back.

He'd watched the boy grow up and into a man that in so many ways was very much like his father. He'd told him quite a few times before with little response; especially after she left. Yes, Namikaze Minato had watched a boy he still considered a son grow up and do countless, stupid, crazy, and equally great things. He'd had great hopes when he'd forced him to become a teacher he would change; that it would be good for him. In many ways it had been. The change had been almost overnight. He'd smiled more, he'd laughed occasionally and not bitterly; not while he was drunk at Yin's or some other unheard of bar in the village. He got a glimmer of hope back in his eyes. In Minato's opinion, he'd looked just a little more human.

And yet... it all appeared to stop short at just that. He continued to keep people at a distance despite the job given to him. Even his students had not been spared the arms-length, half warmth, half cold he offered. And as time had passed he'd begun to worry all over again if anything would change his pupil back into the man he was before she left.

The clock ticked in the room like an echo of something more to come. He let it drag out as he watched him. Years ago, something like this might have had him trying not to figit in his seat. But now, as the man, a hardened shinobi with hardly anything left to lose as far as he appeared to be concerned... well, he was utterly still. He had no real idea why he'd called him in here. Minato had kept that information to himself. The only other people that knew were his wife, Tsunade and Sakura. And even those three woman had no idea when he'd been planning on talking to him, offering him the chance he'd been hounding him for years over.

Unfortunately, Kakashi wasn't going to get it the way he wanted to. Not by a long shot.

"How was the last mission?" He decided to start the conversation with something normal. That way he could ease him into it and help him relax. He wasn't kidding himself though. He fully expected his former student to blow up once he told him the truth of it all.

Kakashi shrugged, like always. "Easy. I hardly had to do anything. I assume it was the cash that made it A-class?"

Minato nodded. "Yep... they wanted ANBU, of course. But I assured them your team was more or less Jounin in name only."

He nodded and said nothing else.

Minato released his interlaced fingers and relaxed slightly. Not that he wasn't already, but this was no easy matter. If it had been any other girl besides Sakura he would have said no in heartbeat; and for very obvious reasons.

"You've haven't asked about it in over a year."

"About what?" The question was a warranted one from the silver-haired Jounin. He had no idea what his teacher was talking about.

"ANBU," he murmured.

He shrugged again. "I guess I just got sick of being told no. That, and I'm not too adverse to my current team."

He nodded. "Yes, I suppose so. They are gaining a reputation. And they tend to grow on you the more time you spend with them." His lips twitched. "So much for your theory about her running home after three weeks."

Kakashi sighed. "Look, I love you like a father. I respect you as my former teacher and I have more admiration for you as my Hokage than anyone else I can think of. But, don't make me regret any of that by actually allowing yourself to think I don't know you're up to something. It's insulting to my skills. The ones you taught me."

Minato smiled slightly and nodded again. "Very well. Then let me ask you this; why do you think I've called you in here to day, if you're so perceptive? Hm?"

"I'm not going to be naive enough to actually think you approved one of my hundred or so official requests to go back on ANBU part time." He crossed his arms over his chest and leveled a gaze on him, eye narrowing slightly. "You haven't yet and you probably never will."

"And why is that?"

"Because you think I'm going to kill myself on the solo missions I want? Because you think I might try and look for Her again while I'm working? Because you're letting your emotions keep one of your best ninja from doing what he was bred to do?" He kept his eye narrowed. "There are any number of reasons in my mind, sensei. And all are either unjustified or wrong."

"Hm.." He paused for a while, allowing Kakashi's words to wash over him. "You once told your students they didn't get it all, didn't you?"

"What of it?"

"_You_ don't get it, Kakashi. When I pulled you off ANBU it had very little to do with my 'emotions' and everything to do with your welfare. Even if it wasn't me sitting in this chair today, had you done half of what you did, whoever ended up in my place would have done the same thing." He leaned forward and on the desk, still sitting. "By placing you on a team with a bunch of 'green kids', as you liked to call them, by forcing you to be responsible for them, to have to pay more attention to them than your own demons in the field, I forced you to take of yourself as well. And do you know how?"

Silence.

"Because you realized instantly, after you passed them and as you spent more and more time with them that there was no way you could ever do something as stupid as die on them. They needed you. And since the field is the only place you would _ever_ allow your honor-bound, pride-filled ass to die, and stubbornly at that, you wouldn't. Not with them depending on you. Not at the risk of three lives dying because you weren't there to make sure they got home."

Kakashi snorted, acting completely unaffected by his words. "I let plenty of team mates die in ANBU. Explain that."

"They didn't grow under your wing, Kakashi. They were fresh and primed to the rank they chose. They'd been Genin, Chuunin and finally Jounin before becoming ANBU. While you probably didn't enjoy watching them die on your watch..." He paused, "Well, it wasn't the same. Was it?"

Once more the only response he got was silence. And this told him he was right. He'd landed the nail on the head. He always did. And that's why he made such a great Hokage. That's why the council, no matter how much he disobeyed them, would ever try to evict him from his position. His intuition had never been wrong. Not once.

Minato pulled open a drawer in his desk. He flipped through a few files until he came to the one he wanted. From it he yanked a slip of paper. He placed it on the desk, took a pen and began to fill it out. "I'm going to give you a chance, Kakashi. Not to prove me wrong, but to prove me right about something. And I hope that this time isn't the first time a leap of faith on my part backfires on me."

"What..?"

He sighed the paper at the bottom and slid it across the desk. "Well, read it, Hatake. It's what you wanted."

Kakashi slowly stood up and walked to short distance to edge of the Hokage desk. He picked up the slip of paper and began to scan it's lines. He didn't speak as he read. But each time, with each word, his throat nearly caught.

"You're putting me on solo like I wanted?"

"Not quite... keep reading..." He waited and waited and waited. He counted the seconds until he reached about fifty. His eyes drifted upward until a slam was heard on his desk.

"No," he uttered much like he had that day when he told him he'd become a teacher.

"Then consider any chance you might ever have of going back terminated."

Kakashi growled, glaring at his teacher and he leaned forward, bracing himself with both palms flat on the desk. "I don't need anyone else. I don't want anyone else, much less someone freshly released from the unit."

Minato shrugged. "That's your choice then."

This had to be a nightmare, Kakashi thought. Did his sensei enjoy playing with him like a puppeteer might toy with his puppets; tugging his strings this way and that; dangling scraps in front of his face until he wanted to rip his hair out? He knew he wanted ANBU back. He'd known for years. He'd stopped asking but he hadn't stopped sending in formal requests by paper. And now, just when he thought he had what he wanted, he had to go and...Arg!

"Well? Should I call the student's sensei and tell them they'll need to select another sponsor?"

"What are you playing at, old man?" He finally half yelled, half breathed in anger and anguish. "You're talking about a two man team; a duo. A squad consisting of me and one other person for a whole year."

"So? What's the problem? How is that any different from the three man ANBU squads you ran before?" He looked completely truthful in that admission.

"You know what's different about it, damnit..!" He jutted a finger and him as he stood up, half whispering. "It's not right. It's not... They're not..."

"They're not _Her, _right?" He asked calmly.

Kakashi swallowed. "...right."

Minato was silent for a while. And once more he leaned forward, this time placing his elbows on the desk as he interlaced his fingers together. He watched as Kakashi placed his hands on his hips, like he knew no other placed to put them. "I'm sorry, Kakashi. But, if you have any hope of going back to ANBU you will have to start here. And maybe, after a year, you can take the solo missions."

Kakashi started to speak but he went on quickly.

"And maybe, _maybe_, depending how you handle this... I'll let you look for her again."

Kakashi was silent. But he didn't blow up at his teacher. Yet, once again he was dangling a scrap of meat in front of his face like he was a hungry predator; so close to grasp and yet so far away; too far to even touch, only smell. He knew Kakashi wouldn't say no after an offer like that. Whoever this student was... they must have either left one hell of an impression on Minato or something else was going on here.

"I don't know what you're up to, sensei," he whispered harshly, "but, you must be a very stupid man for doing this... or a very brave one. But don't think for a second I won't find out what you're up to before this is all over and done with."

"Does that mean you'll sign the damned form?"

"...yes."

ooo

Sakura wandered the streets of Konoha for a long time after her shishou sent her off with a bag filled with one thick book, a few sheets of paper and some instructions about this essay she had to write for Minato. There were a few more books in there too. Apparently she had to study some medical texts. She had only been half listening after she told her about the essay. She'd heard it all of course; she would do it all like she always did and turn it in as usual, but her mind just wasn't on work. No, it was once more on that particular subject she'd been left with about Kakashi.

She always _assumed_ he'd chosen to be a teacher, even in this new, correct, reality. She never once even dreamed he'd be stripped of his rank and shackled with a bunch of Genin. It must have hurt him deeply. No, she was wrong; if she'd ever had such a thing done to her she would have been crushed; crushed because of how _hard_ she had worked to become ANBU. There had to be more hurt there than her teacher knew; surely.

Sakura had no idea where she was going. Her feet just moved on their own. She felt like a zombie. And when people said hello to her in the street she didn't even respond. Her voice, her mind, was gone.

She'd apparently wanted to join ANBU anyway. Was it for the same reasons she'd told her boys in the past; that she hated her own weakness, her inability to truly match up to them and spend less time being saved and more time saving? Hell, at the very least, even an amount of time doing it so they spent less time worrying about her and more time worrying about whatever mission they were on?

The only satisfying thing in all of this was knowing she didn't have to go through that six month lock down as well as try to find an excuse for being gone. Now at least she could concentrate on trying to figure out what to do about her problem with her Crow. And it appeared she'd have a lot of time to do that if they'd being a team again.

A team... Again.

It all seemed to surreal. During her last two years with him she'd spent more time in the hospital than on the S-class mission roster. She knew it wouldn't be that hard for her to get back into the swing of it; like riding a bike. But being his team mate? With all that had happened? Again? Her mind was a mess thinking about it.

She wasn't going to tell Tsunade no. In fact, she's told her she didn't want anyone else to be her sponsor. And she was sure, when she got her memories back for this reality, the reason for choosing him would be just as it had been over two years ago.

Sakura stopped walking as a soft breeze swept past her face and caressed the strands dancing in her eyes. When she finally took the time to recognize where she was it dawned on her just how broken and pathetic she really was. She stared up at the large Cherry tree; the biggest in Konoha and it's greatest secret. Her eyes trailed downward and to the white gazebo she hadn't thought too much of the night before when her emotions were too fucked up to think about anything but her own pain.

She looked at it now, staring in thought as the wind kept blowing and fussing her clothes and hair. When had it been built? And by whom? She looked around the well tended garden and saw no one. The tall fences were still horribly overgrown with vines. And the grassy earth looked nearly untouched by the treads of shinobi sandals.

No, she thought quietly as he eyes trailed back to the well tended, well painted gazebo, hardly anyone must come here. Maybe Kakashi. Maybe her now. But no one else. And she never knew her Crow to have an artist's bone in is body. The thing before her was just that--art. The delicate inlay work looked like it might jump off the wood and come to life at any moment. Crows, cherry blossoms and many other things intertwined all as one. Where one designed left off another picked up like they were all connected beautifully.

She adjusted the pack on her shoulder as she looked inside and stepped forward. It was much larger than she'd taken the time to notice last night. To the far right as a small table and a bench. Aside from a few leaves it looked freshly cleaned.

She pursed her lips as she thought it over. It was quiet here, no one really knew about this place as far as she could tell and it might just give her time to sort out her thoughts on her own; impossible task that was. With a soft sigh she walked over and dropped her bag on the table. She pulled out her items and went to work.

Perhaps witting this damned essay would help her. She doubted it though.

A few good hours passed before she knew it. She kept working, flipping pages as she shifted between working her essay and doing some research in those medical texts for her shishou. She was utterly engrossed in her work and thoughts; so much so she didn't even hear the footsteps like she normally would. Safety, even the illusion of it, made even the best shinobi do that. Where she might have normally looked up, or quietly asked who it was while she multitasked she just sat there; silent.

A cough was heard and she jumped, her pen dropping in the process as emerald green met with cold blue.

He chuckled, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Quite the opposite."


	36. Chapter 36

**..Chapter Thirty-Six..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_1st year_

_Day 96_

_Time, 0100 hours_

_Cherry,_

_My new team isn't too bad. We've been solid for a few months now. They're not as good as you and I have remind them constantly about what to do. But, then, no one is, right? It's so damned irritating. And I know it's not their fault. You spoiled me, you know? I got so use to working with you. We were like one mind sometimes, love. You always knew what to do just with one look from me, one glance. And I always knew the same with you. And each time one of us was in trouble we sensed it and picked up the slack for the other like perfect clarity._

_But, don't worry, I'm getting use to it. I'll just have to, won't I?_

_No one will ever replace you, not by a long shot. And I don't expect them to. I don't want them to._

_Sometimes, when I'm fighting for my life, I look out in the corner of my eye... and I dare to see a rush of pink, assuring me you'll be there to back me up if anything should go wrong. It helps keep me alive and half a dozen other times it's nearly killed me in the process. I guess I just need to stop doing this to myself, don't I?_

_I still miss you..._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

Sakura blinked at the man before her, standing in the opening of the gazebo. She'd been half startled and admonished herself mentally for the carelessness of her actions. It's not like an enemy would ever come and slit her throat in Konoha.. but she knew better than to take chances.

Still, she didn't want him to think her irritation was his fault. He hadn't done anything wrong. "No, it's alright, Minato-sama. I was the one not paying attention. I should be more perceptive of my surroundings."

He laughed softly at that, brushing blond from his eyes as he stepped forward. "Spoken like a true ANBU." He grinned like his son, eye dancing with mirth.

She half smiled, slightly embarrassed by the compliment. "I try... I suppose."

He nodded, grin never leaving his face. "Mind if I sit down?"

She scooted over so he was allowed some space on the bench. She shifted her things over; books and papers. "Not at all. I was just working." She glanced about. "And time appears to have gotten ahead of me."

He took a seat and relaxed into the wooden back next to her. He looked up slightly. "This place can do that to you." He looked over at her and down at the paperwork with an arched brow. "Something for Tsunade?" His eyes narrowed slightly as his lips twitched in humor. "She's not overworking you again, is she? Because if she is I can talk to her for you..."

Sakura laughed at that. "Oh, no, she isn't. Actually, I've been working on my essay for the verbal exam with you. Although, I've been told it's not too terribly pressing. Which, is why she gave me some other research to do."

He nodded and glanced down at it. There appeared to be a few paragraphs already. "You look to be doing fine so far." He smirked. "I always did love a girl with impeccable handwriting. And," he added, "from the looks of it, it appears as though Kakashi really still does hate writing mission reports."

She grinned and put down her pen. "Yes, he always has." Her eyes turned wistful for a moment as she thought back to all those times she raced him home and made him do it. Not because she didn't want to, but because she loved to tease him. She loved that look he gave her, half pouting behind his mask. No one else could see it, but she always could. She knew; she always did.

"I came to tell you he agreed."

She blinked and looked up at Minato. "I'm sorry?"

He smiled and his eyes half lowered in a knowing fashion. "Kakashi. I finally talked to him today about becoming your sponsor."

"Did you?" Her voice was quiet. From the way Tsunade told her she half assumed he'd already been asked and agreed.

He nodded. "Yep."

"Oh," she replied, stifling the notion that she expected him to perhaps elaborate on how it went. She wanted to inquire more, but she didn't want Minato to read too much into it. He was good at that. And she had no explanation for it that wouldn't get her landed in the mental ward of Konoha Hospital.

"He still doesn't know it's you," he continued, surprising her. "He was too angry to even ask, I suppose." He frowned slightly.

She arched a brow, leaning her arms on the table as she looked out at the scenery. Tsunade had said much the same thing. She knew why now. "That's good." She looked over and saw his blank expression. She blinked a few times and realized how it sounded. "Oh, I didn't mean about him being angry... I mean about him not knowing it was me." She frowned and looked down slightly, not meeting his eyes. "Tsuande didn't want me to saying anything after she told me... but she said you told her. So, I guess it doesn't matter much, but--."

"You know about Her, do you?"

She nodded.

"Hm," he mused, looking half in thought. "How much do you know, Sakura? ...Really?" His eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to dissect her.

Sakura shrugged, not seeing anything unusual about the way he looked at her. He was probably worried about Kakashi. He had to be if he was the one who pulled him on ANBU; especially if he was going to put him back on it with her just because she'd asked.

"Well, she told me you demoted him back down to Jounin because he nearly got killed a few times." She heard Minato snort, but went on. She could only assume 'few' was a weak word to use. "She told me he hadn't been happy about it and that I should reconsider him as my sponsor."

"Did she tell you why?"

Sakura sighed and leaned further into the table. Her chin came to sit on her forearms as they rested, crossed over another, on the wood surface. "She said someone hurt him a long time ago and that he hasn't been the same since. The girl was his ANBU team mate. And she said there was no way in hell he'd ever accept me; that he would in words only; because you would give him no other option in order to come back to the unit, but that he wouldn't really at all; accept me that is." She sighed again and closed her eyes. "She said I had my work cut out for me."

Minato nodded slowly after she finished. "She's right, you know."

"I know."

Sakura stared off into the distance as another breeze swept by. It felt cool against her skin; some of the winter air still present. The boughs of the trees croaked and groaned in protest from high above her. She listened in proverbial silence as the leaves and sticks came crashing down from above like little raindrops and hit the roof of the gazebo. Her trained ears unconsciously listened for the sign of someone listening.

Minato looked up, his eyes running across the detailed work of the gazebo. "I didn't think you knew about this place," he murmured.

She smiled softly, not once moving from her position. "I'm told few do anymore. It's almost like a secret garden, hm?"

"Or orchard," he replied, "But, yes, the idea is the same." He looked over at her. "Do you know this took a good seven years to build?"

She blinked a few times but didn't look over at him yet. "You built it?" Her voice was raised slightly in disbelief.

He chuckled softly and crossed his arms over his chest. "Me? No. I've never been much good with a hammer or nails. Much less a carving knife and a solid piece of wood."

"Oh," she replied, because there didn't seem to be much else to say. Still, it was nice to have someone to talk to. Minato had always been good at that.

"Kakashi did."

At that she really did whip around and look at him. She stared for a while, trying to read his eyes and face. Had she heard right? Kakashi had build this? How? He'd never once exhibited an interest in art when she'd known him. She always assumed he hated anything involving a pen and paper, much less something beyond that basic artistic skill. "What..?"

He arched a brow at her. "Is that so hard to believe?" He smirked. "You really don't think the only think your sensei is capable of enjoying is reading porn and public and being a good shinobi, do you?"

"Well... no," she muttered, confused. Her brow furrowed as her fingers touched her lips. "I just... never really pegged him as an artist." Her eyes trailed back to the inlay work, the crows, the blossoms, the petals and other things. "At least not a good one..."

Minato shrugged. "His mother was a prodigy. She painted all her life."

"I know," she whispered, lost in thought as she stared at the work.

Minato arched another brow curiously as he watched her. She didn't appear to catch it though. He started another topic, somewhat keeping with the current one. "He built it for Her, you know." He locked eyes with her as she turned to meet his gaze apprehensively. "No, I imagine you wouldn't, would you?" He half smiled sadly. "The team mate. He loved her very deeply. Before she left the village he proposed."

"Did he?" She looked away again, trying to hide the pain in her eyes.

He nodded and appeared to look into the distance. But, out of the corner of his eyes he watched her. " He didn't change at first. But, as time went by and as it became more and more apparent to everyone else she wasn't coming back, he became more and more withdrawn." Minato edged a glance at her, but quickly appeared to be not paying attention at all. "Everytime he was off the mission roster people saw less and less of him. It took me a year or two, but, I soon realized what he was doing here."

Sakura remained silent. She wanted to ask what, because it seemed to apparent he knew. He was telling her a story right? Filling in the gaps she so wanted filled in?

"At first I think he did it so he had something to give her when she returned; a special place for them both to come and relive memories, to love." He sighed. "But, as the years went by I think it became more of a memorial than anything else." He looked over at her and found emerald greens meeting his gaze again, ridden with pain and sadness. He would almost bet she was ready to cry. "That's why he's always late," he whispered softly, afraid to startle her teetering emotions. "He comes here to forget, to remember and to dream. It's why the few of us who do know him so well never say a damned thing when he does show up late, Sakura. We all understand."

She pulled her gaze from his, ripped even. Sakura blinked back tears and told her heartbeat to settle down. She pushed back the pounding in her ears and somehow forced herself not to run her fingers raggedly through her hair; an action that would surely tell him something was wrong with her. Something more than simple empathy for her sensei over a lost love.

"Here," He said as he slid something across the table to her. "I thought you might want this."

Sakura carefully pulled her gaze downward. She continued to blink back tears as brown, worn, leather book was placed before her. It's edges were tattered slightly and the brown of it was ragged with age; some parts fading. she reached forward in confusion as her brow furrowed. She didn't bother asking anything as she slowly opened it, as if afraid.

She scanned the terrible handwriting as soon as she realized it was Kakashi's. Her brow began to furrow further and her insides stilled as she scanned. It was almost like a dread washed over her. But it wasn't dread. It was like half anticipation mixed with more confusion.

It was a letter book just like his mother's and father's.

A letter book that belonged to Kakashi.

Written to his Cherry.

Her.

Her eyes flashed to Minato's and they narrowed slightly. They rippled, vibrated slightly in movement as she scanned his eyes, his face, trying to read something there. But, she didn't speak.

"Sakura," he began as he leaned forward slightly, "do you know why Sarutobi selected me as his successor?"

"Why?" She was whispering, her voice wavering.

He smiled and she had a feeling she was going to find out.

"Because," he began slowly, "I'm very good a piecing things together. And my intuition has never been wrong."

_..._

_Shortly after The Third's death..._

_Rin dashed up the stairs to the Hokage office almost breathless. She just had to make sure the files she'd filled out were turned in on time. It was almost the end of the day and her sensei would be leaving for home soon. If she managed to catch him before he left it'd be a miracle. And if she did then she could avoid the scolding from the Director._

_She huffed and she puffed and scolded _herself_ twice over. But really, if Obito had let her get any sleep last night she wouldn't be like this! If she told him that though he'd just tell her she hadn't been complaining at the time. Lousy man. She grunted and paused for breath, to make herself presentable before she went inside the room. But as she reached up to knock she paused, listening._

_"What are you talking about, Minato?" she heard, Kushina's voice and slowly lowered her fist. "Burned? Why?"_

_"Hell if I know," she heard her sensei reply._

_"Why would he have that done?"_

_"That's what I'm trying to say, Kushina," he began, "When Sakura came to see me privately a few days ago--."_

_"About what you just told me?"_

_"Yes," he continued, irritation in his voice at her interruption, or only Rin could assume so, "As I was saying, I looked into it. And that's when I found out all the files were burned or destroyed. It was one of the last lines requested in his will; ordered. The only thing left on them is the current files about them being in Konoha for the last two years."_

_Rin listened as Kushina paused, saying nothing for a while. Rin almost moved to go in, knock, but paused again as she replied._

_"You think there's something else going on, don't you?"_

_Rin waited, holding her breath until he responded. But, he didn't, instead..._

_"Rin, do you need something?"_

_She blushed three shades of red. How long had he known she was there? Schooling her features she dashed inside the room with a bright smile and placed the documents on the desk. "I just came to turn these in before you left for the day! Do you have anything you want me to take back to the hospital?"_

_Minato shook his head, eyes narrowed. "No, thank you. You may go, Rin."_

_She bowed and turned to leave._

_"Shut the door on your way out, girl." Minato paused until she left, waiting until the door clicked shut. He waited a while longer to make sure she was gone. When he was sure he could no longer feel her faint chakra signature he began to preform a jutsu._

_"Minato--."_

_"Quiet," he muttered as he finished it off. "There," he said, "now we can speak freely."_

_Kushina sighed, exasperated. Her arms crossed her her chest. "What is this about? Why are we being so secretive? Is sound proofing the room really necessary?"_

_"Yes," he replied swiftly, meeting her gaze, "because, no one needs to know what I'm about to confide in you about, love."_

_Her eyes looked suddenly worried and she took a step toward him. Her hands spread wide as she spoke in a hushed tone. "You're being cryptic again. I understand what you said about her request to go in two years. I realize it's highly abnormal... but if it's about the war, I mean, is it really so unheard of him to have those things burned? Surely you don't think they're enemy shinobi?"_

_He shook his head, brow furrowing. "No, certainly not. Sarutobi would have never agreed to such a thing. He was loyal to Konoha. He gave his life for this village. No, I don't think they're spies."_

_"Again," she muttered, "you're being cryptic. Spit it out, blue eyes."_

_He narrowed his gaze on her, thinking. "You know I have a tendency to over analyze..."_

_"Yes, yes," she muttered some more, waving her hand impatiently. "I know that."_

_He sighed and raked a hand through his strands. "Alright, sit down." When she only stared at him he explained. "You'll want to be sitting down for this one, red." He waited and she didn't moved. "Look," he urged her, "just do it, alright?"_

_She rolled her eyes, huffed in indignation and did as she was told. Her arms crossed over her chest and she faced him across the desk. "There, happy?"_

_"Yes," he muttered, nearly snapping. No woman could more thoroughly annoy him like her. No woman could nearly set him so off balance. That's why he loved her. Kakashi might grate his nerves, but Kushina set them on fire._

_"First of all," he began to explain, "have you noticed some of the odd coincidences surrounding Sakura's team?"_

_"Like?" When he started the groan she grouched out, "Listen here, blue eyes, I'm not like you! I don't have a mind as sharp as a knife. You're the mythical Sherlock Holmes come to life, not me. So, quit messing with my head and just get on with it." Her eyes narrowed dangerously._

_He sighed. She wasn't making this easy. He'd hoped if he could slowly help her make the connection herself she wouldn't look at him like he was nuts. So much for that plan. He should have known better. Kushina wasn't stupid but she hated it when he drug things out. Even in bed. Well, sometimes._

_"Naruto, for instance," he said, "has the same name as my son. Odd, right?"_

_She shrugged. "We thought it was a good name because of the character in your sensei's book. He had a strong sense of will and a good persona. Naruto, your student, just happened to have the same name. It merely convinced us it was a good idea all the more. What does that have to do with anything?"_

_He refrained from groaning again. "Very well, but that's not the only thing, red. After I found out about the burned files I decided to do a little searching into Uchiha Sasuke's background. Well, not in the files, those were burned. But, in the clan records we have here in the Tower. And do you know what I stumbled across?"_

_"What?" This had better be good, she decided, for him to hang all this in front of her with little explanation of the point already._

_He reached for something on his desk and slid a folder at her. "Look at it."_

_She did so with a frown of irritation. As she flipped it open and scanned the information her eyes narrowed. "Ok... so he has the same name... and same hair and eyes... so what? What are you getting at, blue eyes?"_

_He slapped another file in front of her. "I thought the same thing until I started looking for all the girls born in that same year with the first name Sakura in the village. Even the civilian files." His eyes narrowed. "And do you know... there was only one born with pink hair and green eyes?"_

_Kushina looked at the next file, brow furrowing. She held both out in front of her and looked them over further. With yet another sigh mixed with a raspberry she looked up at him, almost pouting. "Sorry, love.. still not understanding. I mean, unless you're trying to tell me the kids in these files are the ones on that team?" She laughed softly, "And I know you wouldn't be suggesting that. I mean... time travel?" She grinned, not looking at his features. "I mean, you've come up with some pretty cracked up theories over the years, but, this?"_

_Silence greeted her and she realized he wasn't laughing with her._

_She blinked and waited for him to laugh. She waited for the joke to finally kick in, like it always did. For him to tell her he'd been pulling her leg all along. But... it never came._

_"You can't be serious, blue eyes."_

_Silence._

_"Minato?"_

_"Do you have a better explanation? Have I ever been wrong about any of my theories?"_

_She frowned. "Well.. no... but..."_

_He sighed and wiped a hand down his face. "Listen, it's not just that. I could tell you any number of the things I've picked up on over in the last two years that tell me I'm right. Conversations they've had that have been passed on to me from other shinobi; actions..."_

_"You've been spying on them?" she hissed._

_"No," he muttered. "I have not been. The things I've been told are only passing gossip. Snippets here and there that most people would forget about over time. Not me." He tapped his head with two fingers. "I file it all away." He frowned as she gave him 'that look'. "It's my job to keep an eye on the villagers and shinobi, Kushina. I'm not doubting them. It's noting I don't do with anyone else. You know that."_

_She sighed. "Alright."_

_"Alright? Just like that? You believe me?"_

_She nodded. "Only because you're right, I've never known you to be wrong about anything. No matter how crazy it sounds. It's why you're behind that desk and not someone else, blue eyes." She shrugged. "What are you going to do about it? Tell them you know? Confront them to confirm it?"_

_He shook his head and sighed. "No, I'm not."_

_She arched a curious questioning brow and he knew she was giving him 'that look' again. Like he was nuts or she wanted to know what his silly reasoning was this time. "Whatever they're doing it's not jeopardizing the village. And for all I know they could be doing something to protect it. If I let them know I know it could make things harder. Better to claim plausible deniability, right?"_

_"I guess..." she murmured. "You know more about these things than I do. So, I'll go along with it."_

_He nodded, happy he had someone to talk to about it. He sighed softly and looked to his right, out at the window depicting his image carved into stone on the monument. "I always wondered why he felt like such a son to me..."_

_Kushina smiled knowingly. "At least we know he turned out into a wonderful man, right?"_

_He smiled back. "Right."_

_..._

"How long have you known?" Her voice whispered.

He paused and held her gaze. It remained softened because he understood her pain. "Before you left," he whispered in return.

A single tear fell from her right eye. Her lips quivered and she shook slightly. He could tell she was trying to be strong, trying to keep it all in.

"I'm so... sorry," she whispered, "It's... it's my fault isn't it? You hate me, don't you, Hokage-sama?"

He shook his head and reached up, wiping the single tear from her cheek. "No, child," he said softly, kindly, "I don't. I never would."

"How can you _not_?" Her mind echoed those words after she said them. "After what I _did_ to him?"

He sighed as he dropped his hand. "Because I know you had your reasons, Sakura. And I knew when you came to see me once more, a week before you left, to tell me you had to go, you didn't want to."

Her eyes glanced over at the tattered letter book as she thought. She'd said she wanted someone to talk to. Maybe Eon, in his own inadvertent way had answered her prayers. Somehow, it didn't seem all that farfetched that it was Minato; somehow it seemed right. Her eyes wavered as she stared at the book. "I want to tell him,"she admitted,"but I'm afraid to. I half wonder if I'm doing the right thing... you know? I just... I'm worried..."

"That he's going to break? And if he doesn't break he might hate you for thinking you betrayed his trust?"

She nodded, closing her eyes. A few more tears fell with the action. She felt a hand cup her cheek as a few fingers brushed tears and hair from her eyes slowly. She was suddenly very thankful someone was here for her. Someone who didn't mind the burden she bore, who shared it with her a little.

"Do you know that I personally selected your team for Kakashi? That you were number sixteen in a long line of students he'd _failed _before he passed you three?" He paused, watching as her eyes, not her voice, answered his question. "I didn't think so," he went on, not waiting for a reply. "And I did it because I had hopes you might be able to heal him, Sakura; all of you. I didn't know what else to do at the time. He had nearly killed himself in ANBU."

She swallowed slowly as the information settled on her. "He was our teacher before we went back..."

He nodded. "Then that explains a lot then," he murmured, still looking at her. "I want you to know I didn't do it to torture him. Although... that does seem to be all my interference _has_ done." He sighed and dropped his hand from her face finally; dispassionately. "He was happier for while... and I thought..." He trained his gaze on her again, eyes narrowing as he trailed off.

When he spoke once more it was in a half whisper of desperation,"That's why I didn't refuse when you asked for him to be your ANBU sponsor, Sakura. When you worked together before you were like no other team in the field. I don't even have anything to compare it to. And when you did come to me," he spoke more sternly, more seriously, "I was convinced I might have finally found my way to help him; by allowing him retrace his steps with the girl he fell in love with all over again; to relive the way you both fought and worked together side by side. It's the one thing he won't allow anyone to share with him. At least until now," he explained with hope in his voice. "The only thing I had left to wait on, was you."

"Me?"

He nodded. "On the girl I knew to come back. The one who taught Rin everything she knows; the one who saved Obito's life; the one who taught Kakashi how to _feel_." He smiled and took both of her hand into his own. "I understand you're scared, girl. I would be were I in your boots. If you want me to tell you you're doing the right thing by waiting, then I will. You are. He's a very broken man right now; a very damaged one. It's going to take a lot of soul-searching, a lot of time and a hell of a lot of effort on your part to get him back, Sakura."

Sakura looked down at their joined hands and swallowed. Fear was still very present in her system, despite his words. "And if he hates me even after?"

He reached for her chin, lifting it so her cool green eyes met his equally blue ones. He kept on smiling reassuringly. "Kakashi is a very reason-based, logical-minded man. He might be mad at first. He might drink himself stupid. Hell, he might even say some things he doesn't mean. But remember, Sakura, he's been waiting over eighteen years for you. No," he whispered softly, "I think when the dust finally settles, if I know him like I do, all will work out just fine."

Sakura nodded and allowed him to give her a hug. She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"You're welcome, Blossom," he replied as he held her for a while longer. "And if he doesn't listen to you I'll just kick his ass until he does."

She couldn't help but laugh at that, feeling a little better. She heard him chuckle in return and slowly released him. "I'll be alright now. I'm sure you're wife is wondering where you are by now."

He laughed again as he stood. "She'll understand. She always does."

Sakura nodded and smiled softly, thankfully. She wasn't altogether happy. But it was start.

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead as he said goodbye. She watched him leave before beginning to pack up to go home herself.

Little did Minato really know how much he'd truly helped her. It might not have been Eon; he wasn't coming back, she imagined. And that didn't bother her because Minato just had this way about him that set everyone at ease, just like Naruto told her.

He'd given her back her faith.

In her mind and in her heart.


	37. Chapter 37

**..Chapter Thirty-Seven..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_I just wanna start again_

_And maybe you could show me how to try_

_Maybe you could take me in_

_Somewhere underneath your skin_

**..**

**.**

The door to his home swung open unceremoniously. Darkness assailed him. Shadows from back corners reached out to him. A single black orb took a scan of the room before he reached to his left and turned on a switch. Daylight was slowly closing around from the outside and as usual all he wanted to do was escape.

It had started out as a pretty normal day like any other. He'd gotten up and had his regular cup of hot tea over a newspaper and Icha Icha; his twenty-seventh copy in a long line of many more before. Once he was done with the paper, tea and two chapters of his book he'd left the house; set on making it to Jounin Headquarters to see if he had any mail or what was up on the voluntary mission roster.

Rin had said hello to him on her way to the hospital and he'd gotten no mail. No surprise there. He'd been sending a few letters out to Mist and Cloud in some futile attempt to get word on Her for a while. Last week he'd been forwarded a message in the field that no one, as usual, had seen hide or hair.

No one ever did.

The one from Cloud had yet to turn up. But, he imagined the result was the same. If he couldn't be out there looking for Her, then he was going to send mail on the small glimmer of hope that wherever she was... he'd find er; someone would see Her.

Kakashi walked over to the kitchen as he thought about the rest of his day. He grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge and popped the silver top. The door in the kitchen was shut as he made his way out and towards the living room. He switched the stereo on. His hand paused on the dial as a song came on. He thought about changing it... but as the words from the artist assailed him he just gave up and dropped his hand.

_I miss the sound of your voice_

_And I miss the rush of your skin_

_And I miss the still of the silence_

_As you breathe out and I breathe in_

He sat down in a soft chair next to the fireplace and tipped his bottle back; drinking the cool stuff.

The rest of the day would have been fine. That was, until Minato had called him into his office. At first he'd assumed it was for the mission report. He was carrying it with him after all. And he had planned on seeing him that day to deliver it. Although, due to his amazing ability to procrastinate... well, he wasn't surprised.

However, he'd quickly discovered it wasn't about the report at _all_. No, instead, after turning it in he'd been given a nice little talking to. Minato had opted to being as cryptic as he normally was. Kakashi had been utterly vexed trying to figure out what he was about; what he was slowly leading up to, preparing him for. And then--BAM! He did it. He dangled that scrap in front of his face. He'd even gone so far as to allow Kakashi to think he might actually be letting him back solo missions; part time. Just like he wanted.

Now, don't get him wrong, Kakashi loved his current team. He hadn't been too happy with them in the start; but, like Minato had said... they grew on him. Naruto had been a bit of a goofball at first, despite being the Fourth's son. And as time passed he got better. He learned to control the Kyuubi and use his chakra for the better. Sasuke and he had been instant rivals. Kakashi had seen to use that to his advantage; to teach them. And as Sasuke grew, he grew out of his ego. But the rivalry between him and Naruto never quit. Just like him an Obito.

He smiled softly and sighed...

And then there was Sakura...

_If I could walk on water_

_If I could tell you what's next_

_I'd Make you believe_

_I'd Make you forget_

He shook his head and went back to his former thoughts. He could definitely go without thinking about his female former student/team mate for a while; especially after last night.

No, instead of getting the solo missions he wanted he got saddled being a sponsor. Minato knew how personal that was for him. He'd never meant for it to be, of course... it just happened that way...

_So come on, get higher, loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire in the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

_So come on, get higher, loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire in the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

When She'd left he'd been sad at first. The way She left hurt him more than words could ever express. He'd hardly blamed Her though. She had to know if they'd actually had to say goodbye like that... well... She had to know he'd be hard pressed to actually let Her go; to just watch Her walk out the door or even the gates of Konoha..

Kakashi took another long sip of his drink.

_I miss the sound of your voice_

_The loudest thing in my head_

_And I ache to remember_

_All the violent, sweet_

_Perfect words that you said_

He'd moved on somehow... somehow. He wrote to her a lot after that. Books and books of his everyday letters both short and long could be found in the house, stored away. Even now he hadn't stopped writing. He hadn't missed one day if he was able. And the ones where he couldn't write either because he was in the hospital, tied up in enemy territory or captured instead... well, he wrote longer letters after those times.

He smiled bitterly, closing his eyes.

She'd have a lot to read if She ever came home... his Cherry. His...

He took another sip of his drink and moved on further into his own thoughts.

_If I could walk on water_

_If I could tell you what's next_

_I'd make you believe_

_I'd make you forget_

The three man team he was in as a captain hadn't been terrible. It had been hard to get use to, though. Because... because...

Because no one would ever move like Her. No one would ever have his back like Her. No one would ever _replace_ Her.

He didn't _want_ anyone to. He wasn't looking for it and Kami knew he didn't let all of those people die on purpose. He'd nearly killed himself a handful of times just trying to _save_ them. And each time he lost someone it was ... it was almost like failing in her eyes; each time someone died on his watch all he could see was her face, frowning at him because he would never fill the gap she left. He would never be an effective team leader. Not as effective as her; no matter how much he tried. He would always be one step behind Her... On purpose. Because filling that gap might mean tainting Her memory. And that's something he could never do.

Ever.

He took another sip; this time longer.

_So come on, get higher, loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire in the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

_So come on, get higher, loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire in the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

Being a three man team in ANBU after She left was not the same. Two people was not the same as three working together. With three you could split the work evenly, the watches, with no problem. You could close up within yourself and pretend to be in a good mood with little or no worry because there was another person to talk to; someone that wouldn't be you. If you preferred being the long wolf, like he did, you could go off and get the fire wood, the food by yourself. You could read silently so the others got the picture and kept to themselves or each other.

But with two?

No, that wasn't even possible. Two was too personal to him. That was Her place. That was where he kept the memory of Her the strongest. After he'd been forced off ANBU it was the only thing he still clung to. Aside from outdoing his Cherry in personal skill and leadership... someone taking Her place had to be worse. It _was_ worse.

It wasn't going to be Her watching his back. It wasn't going to be Her laughing with him across an open fire because they had only themselves. It wasn't going to be Her making sure he didn't get his ass killed by enemy fire. It wasn't going to be Her patching him up while he cursed the gods. No...

...It was going to be someone else without even half of Her skill, a shred of it if they were lucky, filling the gap.

_I miss the pull of your heart_

_I could taste the sparks on your tongue_

_I see angels and devils_

_And God, when you come on_

_Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on_

_Sing sha la la la_

_Sing sha la la la la_

His insides clenched at the idea of it; they turned over and made him feel sick. He stared at his beer bottle, almost glaring at it. He swore softly before simply throwing it in the fireplace with a resounding SMASH. His hands dug into his hair, nearly ripping as he tried to get a hold of his senses.

Why had he ever agreed to it? _Why?_ Wasn't he just as bad as Minato and whomever else this person was for allowing someone to ...to... replace Her? No one would ever be able to do that, and here he was, on the chance that he might be able to look for Her, agreeing to this sponsorship. Agreeing to the blasphemy of tainting Her memory; the only place he had left to hold her dearly, personally, all to himself.

_So come on, get higher, loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire in the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

_So come on, get higher, loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire in the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me, drown me in love_

Kakashi exhaled slowly, softly as he pulled his hands from his hair and stared down at the coffee table before him. He looked down at the small drawer and reached to open it. Once done he grabbed the black leather book and a pen. He flipped open to a clear page and began to write, listening to the music in the background as it started to come to an end.

_So wrong, so all wrong,_

_it's so right_

_So come on, get higher_

_come on, get higher_

_'Cause everything works, love_

_Everything works in your arms_

Knock!

He blinked, barely having started writing and set down both items. The knock came again and he slowly stood up. He walked across the room to the door and monotonously unlocked it and opened it halfway.

"Yo!" The visitor rang out happily, grating his nerves only slightly. "Man, you look like hell. What the fuck happened this time? Eh?" His visitor blinked at him.

Kakashi rolled his eye. "What do you want, Obito?"

"What? No, 'cheery hello'? Or, 'how ya doing, buddy'? Just a gruff, 'what do you want, Obito'?" The black haired male wrinkled his nose slightly. "You're a damned jerk, you know that? Aren't you going to invite me in, asshole?"

Kakashi grumbled softly and stepped back to let him in, saying nothing.

Obito grinned and sauntered in. "Thank you. Good to know your charming personality and fair weathered manners arn't completely lost to solidarity."

"Yeah, well," he began, closing the door, "I'm not in a good mood today. Sorry." He walked back across the room and swiftly put away his book and pen. "Can I get you anything? Tea? A beer?"

"Nah, but thanks." He frowned. "Bad mood? Why?" He knew that sounded stupid coming out of his mouth, but really, Kakashi was normally kept a pretty even mood. The Uchiha was fairly use to him smiling good naturedly, filing off a decent smart remark now and then and waving occasionally in public if he was too engrossed in the latest Icha Icha novel. He knew it was a lie most of the time; an easy way to hide his real pain or just to forget for a few moments. So, to see him a little snappish, even on the day after the anniversary of Her departure... well, he was a little surprised.

Because, just as he thought, Kakashi was exceptionally good at hiding his pain. And Obito was one of the few people who was exceptionally good at letting him hide it. Good brothers were like that, in a way. They knew the right time to push and the wrong time to ask.

Kakashi sighed as he shut the drawer. "Minato offered me a chance back on ANBU."

Obito blinked, not entirely sure how he felt about it. Still, he commented. "That shouldn't be bad news. That's what you wanted, right?"

"Right," he muttered, hands on his hips as he stared at the ash in his fireplace from where he hadn't cleaned it out over the winter.

"So...?"

He waved his hand idly to show his small amount of frustration as he kept his back to him. "It's bad news because because I won't be on solo like I wanted."

"Oh," he murmured, thinking and took a few steps towards him. "Well, a three man team--."

"It's not a three man team, Obito," he was muttering again. Hid voice was a mix of aggravation, irritation and a small hint of anger.

Obit blinked a few times as his mind went over the possibilities. His eyes eventually narrowed as it dawned on him. His voice was low but ridden with understanding as he spoke. "A two man squad then?"

"Yes," he replied with a sigh, coming closer to the fireplace. He leaned against it, his right forearm above him to brace. His free hand dangled next to him. "I'll be a part time sponsor for a year."

Obito's eyes widened at that admission. "Really? For who?"

"I don't know yet."

Obit scratched the back of his head while his face turned a bit apprehensive with concern. "Hm... so... if you didn't want to do it.... why did you agree?"

He turned slightly to look at him. "Because, he told me if I do well after this initial year... I might be able to go look for Her again." He shrugged. "I can only guess he's trying to test me... but, somehow I think there's something more going on here."

"Huh.."

Kakashi's one good eye locked on him. "'Huh'? That's it?"

"What do you want me to say, Kakashi?"

He shrugged and turned away from him to look at the ashed fireplace once more. "I dunno. I guess I assumed..."

Obito snorted and moved to sit down. "Minato tells me less about what's going on than you, Kakashi. If he's up to something like hell I'd be notified. I'm your best friend, after all. And if you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly great at keeping a secret."

"No," he smirked, pushing off the fireplace as his good mood began to return, "You're not." He moved towards the chair he'd formerly occupied and sat back down adjacent to Obito who was on the couch.

The black haired male just grinned, his one good eye closing with the action. "So, besides that, what else has got your feather's in a ruffle, huh?"

Kakashi blinked at him. "What makes you say that?"

He just continued to grin, looking a bit like a cat who got the cream. "I know you, that's what. And I can tell something more is bothering you aside from agreeing to some new team mate. So, out with it, bed head."

Kakashi frowned at the nickname, but let it go. This had to be heart of the matter; why he came all the way down here to see him, defensive as to his reasons. "Have you been talking to someone?" His eye narrowed. "I know your wife talks to Ino and Ino is the biggest gossip in the village. So--."

"Bah!" Obito interrupted. "Is it so much to ask for you to believe that I inherently know when something is wrong with my best friend?"

He just stared at him. "If it was anyone but me and anyone but you then yes. But, since half of Konoha knows you can be pretty dense and I can be fairly recluse... well no." He crossed his arms over his chest as he sat back in his chair. "So, out with it. What do you know? Hm? I'm sure you ran all the way over here at the request of your wife just to find out."

Obit frowned, trying to look stern. "She did not..."

Kakashi stared at him hard.

Obit sighed. "Alright, I _am_ over here because of her. But really," he continued, "You have to know it wasn't my idea. And I certainly wasn't watching you like a hawk last night. I know better than to bother you on _that_ night. And that's exactly what I told Rin when she pointed at you and Sakura sitting together. I told her to leave well enough alone and not to worry about it. But she just kept watching you and bugging me about it." He paused, pursing his lips. "But really, this is your fault, you know. If you hadn't left her there at the bar, looking like she was ready to cry, well, Rin wouldn't have noticed a damn thing. You know how perceptive she is," he muttered lastly.

Kakashi arched a brow. "And you came all the way down here not the least bit curious yourself?"

"Well... you are my friend," he muttered again, "Of course I'm curious. I just don't like to bother you unless you want to talk about something." He frowned, looking away from Kakashi. "You know how pushy Rin can be."

Kakashi sighed, uncrossing his arms. "Yes... I can."

"Did she go after you then?"

"Who?"

Obito rolled his good eye. "'Who,' you ask? Who? Sakura. She left just after you, practically knocking three people over in the process."

"Ah... you aren't going to let this go, are you?"

"Do I ever?" His lips twitched.

Kakashi's face mirrored his own. "No..."

"So?"

Kakashi sighed at his persistence. He decided if he was going to tell anyone about this it might as well be his best friend. "Alright, but if I tell you and you tell Rin you have to make sure she doesn't say a damned word to anyone, especially Ino. I don't like my business being thrown in the street."

Obito frowned, holding his hands up defensively. "I will. Rin never does though, Kakashi. She only gets information from Ino. She hardly ever gives any; and never any about you." He frowned still. "Only enough to placate her anyway..."

"Fine," he said and leaned into his hand as his elbow rested on the arm of the chair. "Well,... if you must know... Sakura told me..."

"Yeah?" He edged.

He sighed. "She told me she was in love with me last night."

Silence greeted him for a long while. Kakashi looked over at Obito to make sure he hadn't, well, died on spot. Instead, he just found him staring at him. At first expression looked to be one of shock. Slowly it turned into one of dissection. And then, finally, it turned into one of sympathy.

"What did you tell her?" He whispered.

He found himself saying nothing for a moment. Obito and Rin had been two of a few people to comment on the fact that his student, when he'd introduced his team to them, looked a lot like Her. They'd looked to pity him at first. He couldn't blame them. He nearly pitied himself. Who wouldn't, damnit? To those who knew his Cherry as well as he did would never forget that face.

"Kakashi?" He whispered again when he didn't reply right away.

He shrugged. "I told her the truth. I'm in love with someone else. She's too young for me. We're on the same team and it could cause problems..." He pulled his elbow away from the arm rest and wiped a hand down his face in frustration in some futile attempt to once more quell the emotions assailing his senses at the memory of that night.

When Obito didn't say anything he found it was his turn to prompt for an answer. "Well?"

Obito's one good eye narrowed but did not look at him right away. "Would it be so bad, Kakashi?"

"To what? Give someone else a chance?" His heart constrained at the idea. "It's bad enough I'm allowing someone else to take her place by my side in ANBU. How much more does everyone expect me to give up?"

"I didn't mean--."

"You don't have to," he whispered, looking away. "It's not your fault. I know you're just trying to help. I understand, Obito. Really I do. However," he said softly, closing his eye, "how much more can I give?" He smiled bitterly. "I said ok when She left and let Her go then. I said ok when they gave me my new team on ANBU and let go a piece of Her then. I let even more of Her go when Minato-sama pulled me off ANBU completely. I continued to hold my tongue when he made me a teacher and let even more of her go when I got my new Genin team." His hands turned to fists as his voice grew to a whisper once again. "To add insult to injury, I'm nearly being forced to let go of all of her by taking on the this sponsorship." His one good eye flashed open and locked on Obito. "And now, you of all people, are suggesting I let go of the only piece I have left of her by allowing someone else to take up residence, _Her_ residence, in my heart?"

Obito's eyes softened and his lips tuned into a sad sort of frown. He looked down, almost looking ready to cry himself. It couldn't be helped, he was just an emotional person. He always had been and that's part of why Rin loved him; chose him. "I'm sorry," he breathed.

Kakashi just closed his eye, not knowing what else to do.

"I'm not telling you to let her go, _sempai,_" he said humbly.

"I know..." he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "And amazingly enough, neither is she."

"What?"

"Sakura," he murmured with a half smile. "She told me despite the fact that she loved me she didn't expect anything from me." He finally looked at him again. "Odd, right?"

Obito smiled softly. "Not really." When all his best friend did was stare at him curiously he explained. "You waited years for Her, you know. You even lied to Her about your feelings after kissing Her because you didn't want to lose Her. I think Sakura is pretty brave for at least coming forward with her own feelings and telling you. And even after you told her you were in love with someone who might never come back?" He shook his head. "She has to know how loyal you are by now, Kakashi. I doubt very seriously she does expect much of you." His brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to speak more, but stopped.

"What?" Kakashi prompted, eye slightly narrowed. He did want to hear the end of it.

"Well," he mused, "like you've reminded me several times in just the past few minutes, Rin is exceptional when it comes to knowing the comings and goings of the village." He shrugged. "And, I just recall her telling me how Ino says she hardly goes out. Sakura, that is." He looked over at him, wisdom lingering in his eyes as he passed it on. "Maybe she really just wants some company, Kakashi. You know? Like you? Even if she really is in love with you, and I'm sure she is... isn't it worth it to just have someone to talk to? If that's all she's expecting?" He half smiled. "At least, someone besides me. Sakura's bedside manner, I've been told, is far better."

Kakashi half smiled in return for a moment. "Yes, it is." He moved to sit back comfortably in his chair once more as he thought it over. Perhaps Obito was right... and perhaps Kakashi hadn't been wrong, despite being very drunk that night, when he'd agreed to enjoying her company now and then. Not on a date, but at least to have someone besides himself to talk to. Someone besides his blissfully happy and sickeningly joyous coupled friends. No, going out with them tended to do nothing but remind him of just how alone he really was. And no matter how much he pretended to them he was happy, they both knew better. All of them did.

Another knock sounded at his door and he found himself pulled from his own quiet musings. "Excuse me," he muttered to his friend. Obito just waved off the formality as he walked to the door and opened it. "Hello?"

Emerald green met with his one eye of coal black and he blinked. "Sakura?"

She smiled slightly at him. "Hey, can I come in?"

He stared at her for a while longer, just like he always did. He shook his head slightly and stepped back. "Sure." He watched as she walked past the threshold. He found his eyes lingering on her as they normally would. Only... this time he found himself looking longer. He found himself not admonishing himself for watching the sway of her hips or the slender curve of her uncovered legs. Part of him had to know it was wrong... and then... that other part... the one that just couldn't seem to get past her admission from the night before and the way she reminded him so much of... well, that part just kept looking.

"Oh," she said softly with a smile, "I didn't realize you had company. If you'd like I can come back later and--."

"No, that's alright, Sakura-chan," Obito allowed with a knowing grin. "I was just leaving." He got up swiftly and headed towards the open door. Before going he mouthed to Kakashi 'good luck'.

The silver haired Jounin merely shut the door in his face and rolled his eyes at the antics of his friend. He turned and looked at Sakura again. His brow arched slightly as he leaned back into the door. "So... is something up?"

Sakura turned around as if she'd been caught woolgathering. She wasn't flushing and her face looked a mix between apprehension, confidence and serenity. He found it... too familiar. "No, not really. I just came to ask you something, is all."

"Alright."

She said nothing, looking nearly lost in thought.

"Sakura?" He questioned, finding her small amount of shyness almost endearing.

"Oh... sorry," she smiled. "I just... well, this isn't easy, you see. But... I guess I'd better just get it out and over with, huh?" She took a deep breath. "I know we spoke about it last night. But, we were both a bit emotional and inebriated at the time. I doubt you forgot what I said--."

"I didn't."

She nodded and looked up at him. "Well, I'm not doing anything tonight. So, I was curious, if maybe, you'd join me for the evening?" When he said nothing she quickly went on. "What I said last night still stands, Kakashi. I don't expect anything of you. I just want someone to--."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

He nodded. "I haven't changed my mind. The day's been fairly long, I've got nothing planned for the evening and well... " He locked his one good eye one her. "What do I have to lose, hm?" His brought his hands up in humorous defeat. "That is, unless you've discovered what a boring old man I am and _changed_ your mind?"

She blinked rapidly before smiling and laughing softly. "Well, there was this five minute period before I got here..."

"Oh?"

She nodded, trying to look serious. "Really. I thought it might be good to reconsider it altogether. All that porn you read in public, being notoriously late for everything... well... it does give a girl a lot to think about."

He couldn't help but genuinely grin at that. "It only took you five minutes?"

She nodded, still trying to look stern.

"And I suppose since you showed up I should assume your result was in my favor?"

She looked upward, pressing a finger to her chin as she appeared to be thinking. She shrugged after a while. "Well, I guess I just got over the whole porn thing because even I know how good Icha Icha is."

"Do you?" He half smiled again, still leaning into the door with his arms once more crossed. "And what about the lateness?"

"Oh, well, the Jury is still out on that one. But it can't be looking too bad for you. I'm here, after all."

He chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you are."


	38. Chapter 38

**..Chapter Thirty-Eight..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_2nd Year_

_Day 6_

_Time, 2100 hours_

_Cherry,_

_I'm been ordered off duty for a week or two; at least until my legs heal up. Minato and Tsunade weren't too happy about all the kunai shards that had to be pulled out. No, I'm sure even my all-favored smile and smart remark went entirely unappreciated._

_They know I smile to hide the pain... at least Minato does._

_My two team mates died on this mission; the ones I was telling you about over the last couple letters. I was starting to get use to them... It's my fault, you know. I guess I should have been paying more attention... something. Before I knew it we fell right into that genjutsu. I hate myself for that. You always use to tell me to keep my eyes peeled for illusionary techniques. If you had been there I'm sure none of this would have happened. You always saw right through them._

_I'm good, love, or so they tall me; but... not like you._

_I never will be._

_I don't want to be._

_I'd rather have you instead._

_I miss you..._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

Kakashi locked the door behind him as Sakura waited at the end of the walkway for him. He took a moment to pause and look at her. His throat didn't catch as he watched her, but his heart did strain. She didn't notice his moment of hidden weakness, his silent moment of sanctuary at her image.

The soft pink of her strands danced on the spring breeze and tickled her face. Her green eyes were half narrowed in thought as she looked on down the street at something. Her face was soft and pale, rounded in an almost cherub effect. Her hair was just as short as ever; just as short as She use to keep it.

She wasn't dressed in her usual shinobi attire and had given him time to change as well. It was a soft pink like her hair and reached just past her knees. It hugged her every curve. The sleeves were long and belled. The material was just thin enough that it was ok for spring and wouldn't sweat her out during the night.

He couldn't help but think she was lovely... and of course he did. Because Sakura continued to haunt him with the after image of Her. Was that why he'd agreed to this?

No.

He'd agreed to this for the same reason Obito had suggested he do it in the first place. Not because she might want more, because it was obvious she might, but wouldn't cross that line unless he wanted to. No, because he did need someone, even if only platonically, to spend time with. Even Tsunade was starting to say all that lonely, pitiful drinking he was doing was starting to annoy the hell out of her. And if it was annoying Tsunade, it had to be bad, he imagined.

It was time he did do something aside from wallow in his own grief; something aside from sit in his lonely, dark house, writing letters to a ghost in his thoughts. He wouldn't dare give up on Her or think for a moment She was dead. But, going on like this? How much longer could he really keep it up before snapping entirely?

He wouldn't go so far as to say taking on the sponsorship was good for him, like he was sure Minato thought. No, that was just... wrong. But he would go so far as to say he needed to get out. Not just with her, but anyone. And Sakura was as good a choice as any. She was well mannered, skilled and graceful. She'd long ago grown out of her fan girl years and into a beautiful young woman in her right; someone very deserving of the right person to come along and love her in return; even if it wasn't him.

After staring for a while long he finally started to walk down the stairs and towards her. "Ready?" He offered as he stopped next to her.

She looked over at him, flashing a brilliant smile. "Of course." She moved to walk, surprising him by not expecting him to take her arm or even hand.

It was probably a good thing. Touching, even a little bit, was not going to be good for his senses. Still... he couldn't help the pang of regret that wedged itself into his center as he walked beside her, hands in his pockets and moved into his trade mark slouch. Then again... he'd been the one to agree when she'd said she wouldn't do anything he didn't want to. Holding hands, he guessed, would be included in that.

"So, where are we off to?" He asked.

"I'm not too sure yet, actually. I didn't plan this out, if you must know." She smiled softly and looked down a bit. "I didn't really expect you to still want to spend some time with me since..." she trailed off.

He nodded. "Since I was plastered and a mess at the time?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty much it."

He chuckled softly. "Yes, well... you should know last night is the one night a year people know not to bother me."

"I'd ask about it, but I imagine you'd tell me you don't want to talk about it."

He wasn't sure how to respond to that. His close circle of friends, discluding his team now, knew about Her. But many of them had been around when She had been in Konoha. His current team had not. Was it a sore subject? Obviously. Did he want to talk to her about it? He didn't know.

He shrugged. "Probably."

She nodded, accepting that.

For a moment, he was once again amazed by her sense of unmeasurable understanding. If it had been Sasuke he wouldn't even asked. If it had been Naruto he would have bugged him about it until he either told him or simply left him there in the street, too annoyed to do much else. But, this was Sakura. And so, she didn't ask, she didn't prod. No, she never did any of those things. Ever.

"Thank you," he murmured.

"For?" She blinked over at him.

He smiled softly, meeting her gaze. "For being you. I don't think I've ever really thought about it much; you're level of understanding. Even Rin would have bothered me until I told her."

Sakura matched his smile, eyes only half down cast as he turned her gaze away from his. "I guess we all have our secrets, don't we Kakashi?"

Her tone implied to him, at least, she perhaps understood because maybe she had a few secrets of her own. Maybe that's why she wasn't prodding. But, Sakura? Having secrets? When her best friend was the biggest gossip Konoha ever knew? He found it astonishingly hard to believe. If she did, she must be impeccably good at keeping them from Ino.

"You speak from experience?"

"You could say that," she whispered.

For a moment, with that tone and grace in her step... for a moment... Kakashi wondered how Sakura had managed to grow up so much without him hardly noticing it. Weeks ago he was sure she was still that blushing girl barely breaking out of her mother's leading strings. Perhaps he'd never really take the time to notice. Perhaps he'd been so busy trying to ignore her because of what she represented that he couldn't see beyond what he chose to see.

"Maybe I'll tell you mine once you decide to tell me yours?" She offered, again, looking at him curiously.

"I might take you up on that offer," he murmured. "Especially if it's something I'll be the only one to know about."

"My secrets?" She asked with raised brows, looking at him again as they walked towards the main strip.

"Sure," he mused. "Why not?"

She frowned and looked down again. "Well, usually that's something a couple would do, Kakashi. I told you we didn't have to label this."

"Who says we are?" At her apprehensive gaze, which he could only imagine was in concern over him, he continued. "Sakura, do you know how long it's been since I've been out with a woman aside from the times I've spent with my friends?"

She just stared at him.

He sighed. "A damned long time," he muttered and looked forward. "I know what you said last night. Believe me, I thought it all over in my head again today. I even talked to Obito about it."

She frowned. "What does that have to do with labeling this?"

"I'm trying to say is whatever we are doing, even if we're not making more of it than it is... there's no reason why we can't be close in some way." His lid lowered over his eye halfway as his heart sunk slightly. His voice was soft and revealing. "I don't want to say I'm not pretending a little bit with you, Sakura... but, you have to know you are soothing a part of me I'm just a tad scared of. So... even if I can't give you what you want... what you deserve... at the very least I can eventually give you some of myself; secrets if that's what you want to call them. And," he continued, glancing over at her, "at the very least I can expect something similar from you in return; if that's what you want to give me. Although, just by being here, you've given this pitiful old man with nothing left but ghosts to haunt him more than you can imagine." He smiled in his usual form, eye crease and all, while he tried to bring good humor back into the conversation.

"Oh, Kakashi," she whispered, eyes narrowing once more in soft concern. "I'm not doing this because I pity you. I'm doing this because I love you."

"I know," he murmured with a sigh. "And I guess I understand."

"Do you?" She couldn't help but inquire.

He smiled softly once more, but didn't look at her, only down. "Let's just say a long time ago I once waited for someone I love deeply. And even if that's all I ever did? Even if I never got what I longed for? Well... I would have been happy so long as she was happy."

"Me too," she whispered, also not looking at him.

"You don't mind?" He asked.

"Keeping you company?"

He nodded.

She shook her head and half smiled. "Maybe, in my own way, I'm pretending just like you. Pretending even as we walk side by side that you really are mine, no matter how much your heart truly belongs to someone else, Kakashi."

"Someday," he whispered painfully, "you will be loved." Somehow, they both knew he wasn't just talking about himself.

And somehow, they both knew she wasn't just talking about herself when she responded with, "I know."

ooo

"Have you eaten yet?" Sakura asked as they passed a few diners and restaurants in the main strip.

"I'm not very hungry, if that sounds odd."

She grinned. "It doesn't. I'm not either. However, this still leaves us with the problem of still figuring out what to do." She pointedly looked at him; but it was humorous.

So, no real surprise when he just chuckled. An action he was finding as the night moved on slowly he was doing more and more with her. It was nice, he told himself, to truly laugh again; and not at something his team did or a joke Obito told him. He didn't mind it with her. She put him at ease and he enjoyed that.

"Kakashi! Sakura!" A voice called from the crowd and pushed through. Both of them instantly recognized Rin when they saw her, smiling brightly. She was wearing a lovely violet kimono.

Sakura blinked as she made it to them, paused in the middle of the crowded street. "You're dressed awfully fancy. What's the occasion?"

"Kakashi, you don't mind if I steal her for a while do you?" She didn't wait for him to reply. "Of course you don't. Both of you, come on!" She took their hands and drug them off to Kami knew where. But it didn't take them long to find out. Soon they found themselves under an awning surrounded by people. A large one at that. In the far end were a group of women gathering in kimono's styled much in the same way as Rin's.

She turned to Sakura. "Ok, so here's the deal. Tonight I told my mother I would host this show for her." She took a few breaths, trying to get it all out. "Anyway, one of the dancer's is sick with the same thing my mother has. And you have to know this thing just isn't going to work without an even number. Tell me you'll help me out?" She looked pleading.

Kakashi arched a brow. "What's the dance?"

"Cupid's Musings, of course."

He blinked. "She won't know that one."

"Oh, I know it's an old dance." Rin turned to look at Sakura. "It hasn't been preformed in at least a decade. Quite the old thing, if you ask me. Which is why my mother insisted on bringing the tradition back."

Kakashi sighed at her real lack of explanation and turned to Sakura. "The whole idea is for the female dancers to entice their lover or the one they wish to be with with their movements. But, as Rin said, it hasn't been done in a while. And--."

"I'll do it," Sakura beamed with her reply.

"You will?" Rin looked positively joyous. "Oh, don't you worry. I'll put you in the back. I just need the numbers to be even. So, if you mess up or don't know the steps no one will know. Trust me."

Sakura smirked. "I'm sure it won't be a problem. I'm a fast learner. Do I need to change?"

"Yes, of course. Come on!" Rin drug her away and left Kakashi just staring onward with a sigh.

Fast learner or not, Sakura would have a hard time at this. Even he had to watch the steps the first time with an open Sharingan to know just how they were worked. And that had been when he was first trying to learn how to use it. He really wasn't going to enjoy watching her have such a hassle... but if she was willing to make a mess of herself the very least he could do was support her afterward.

Rin had to be nuts. Surely an odd number of dancers was not worth losing face. He'd been told her mother took this very seriously. He could vaguely recall the woman on his one time visit to her house a few months ago with Rin yelling at his former team mate about practicing the dance herself.

A long while passed and he decided to get comfortable. He shifted through the crowd until he reached the seats. He sat down to relax and paid for the offered drink a man was walking around with on a tray. And yea, nothing with alcohol. For once he wasn't going to ruin a perfectly good evening with that mess in is system. Sakura didn't deserve that again; it was her problem to begin with.

The low hum of conversation dipped down as the lights beneath the tent dimmed, signaling the start of the show. He heard the shuffling of wooden sandals across the floor telling him the dancers were taking their positions. After the hush died completely the drums started. The lights flashed on in a rich light blue color and the girls snapped open their fans as they stood in a circular pattern, facing the audience surrounding them.

The drum kept beating and it wasn't until the other instrument joined in that they truly began. Kakashi's gaze sought Sakura out, but he couldn't see her just yet. The girls spun in unison as they flipped their fans and tossed them into the air. And then they moved outward, turning, shifting, flipping the fans as they enticed the audience. Kakashi lept looking for her, his heart paining at the idea she was going to mess up. He genuinely didn't wish for that. And if she ended up flat on her ass with everyone laughing her might just ring Rin's neck for this.

As his eyes scanned the ten woman something flashed pink. He blinked and looked against as the lights flicked and changed. The girls parted and then it was a turn for someone else to stand in the center.

Sakura.

Her eyes locked with his and she didn't smile. No, once more as she moved, her face was ridden in silent serenity, just as the dance required. Her movements were swift and clean. Her steps were as agile as they were in field. Her kimono of soft pink with white blossoms fluttering across it didn't once trip her up.

Her fan flipped and twisted in her grasp, as if were an extension of her body. And not once did she lose sight of his gaze unless she had to turn or move in another direction. And even after she stepped away from the center and the next girl moved to take her place, he found his eyes still trailing after her.

Sakura, he found, had quite a few secrets, if not surprises. And he found more earnestly than ever he wanted to find out exactly what else she was hiding.

ooo

"You were amazing!" Rin thanked her with a bright grin as they both weaved back out into the crows and to Kakashi. "When did you learn that?"

Sakura laughed softly. "Oh, you know, a girl picks up a few things here and there."

Rin nodded. "I imagine your mother taught you."

Sakura just smiled as they came to stand next to Kakashi.

"Well," Rin exclaimed to him, still breathless from all her work and the dance, "she's all yours. Thanks again, you two." She waved as she walked away. "Enjoy the rest of your evening!"

Sakura chuckled softly as she watched her retreating form. "She's an interesting girl."

Kakashi nodded as he looked over at her. "I agree." But he wasn't talking about Rin.

Sakura looked over at him, eyes narrowed curiously. "What?"

He tried to look innocent. "Hm? Nothing." He turned to walk on and into the crowd as she followed after him.

She snorted, smiling. "Sure. I know that tone, Kakashi."

"Nothing, really," he said gingerly. "I'm just surprised, is all."

"About?" She nudged him with her elbow as they walked into the night.

"You appear full of surprises," he replied, looking over at her. "Whenever did you have time to learn that?"

"The dance?" She moved aside for a man wheeling by a cart of sweet nuts. As his questioning look in response to her she simply shrugged and gave a hidden smile. "Let's just say there was this guy and a time long ago when I wanted nothing more than to get his attention. And lets just say his attention was more on business that night."

"Sasuke?"

She shook her head as they fell in step together once more after the cart had passed. "No... not really..." she shrugged again. "It was during a mission. And like I said, a very long time ago."

He chuckled. "You talk as though you're a hundred."

"And you don't?" She laughed.

He poked her side. "The difference is I'm nearly there. You're still young enough to enjoy life and easily forget the small things from the past, no matter how disappointing. Regret doesn't suit you."

Her brow furrowed at that. "I don't have any regrets. Life is far too short for those."

"And the boy you liked? What about him? Isn't he a regret?"

"No," she said with light in her tone and a smile playing on her face, "he's a memory for now."

"I take it another one of your secrets?"

She grinned, leaning over to ward him slightly without even thinking about it. Her head rested on his shoulder just a bit. "It might be."

With a soft chuckle on his part he hardly seemed to notice her forward movements. In fact, he reached over, draping an arm over her shoulder in what he assured himself was a purely friendly manner. "And how will I ever find out the details?"

She sighed dramatically. "Well," she exhaled as if it really was an important issue, "I suppose you'll simply have to spend some more time with me, Hatake."

"I'm sure it'll be worth it, Haruno." After the good humor of the close moment left them both he reluctantly slid his arm from around her shoulders and pushed his hands back into his pockets as she stepped away from him. For a time nothing was really said and he found though he secretly hated pulling away from her warmth, she'd kindly not made him feel uncomfortable or confronted him about his momentary weakness.

For that, he was thankful. He only needed his own heart, his own inner voice, to remind him of what he couldn't do; not only because it would be breaking a promise, but because it simply wouldn't be fair to Sakura. Not when for her this some futile attempt at being happy with someone she loved. The irony was almost laughable, sad and bittersweet.

Here she was, loving him, pretending for a moment now and then that what they were doing was having some replication of a date. And here he was, enjoying her company and pretending for a moment, now and then, that she really was who he wanted her to be.

Two adults... consentually killing themselves softly; concentually healing themselves with what they might never have. Love and pain really were one and the same, he discovered.

As he watched Sakura dash ahead of him, he realized he might just be too selfish to let it stop. Hell, she might be too selfish as well. It didn't bother him. And appeared to not bother her.

So, if this crude replication of pain mixing with longing and love was really as sad as it appeared, or even as wrong as he imagined... why didn't it feel that way?

"Kakashi!" She called to him as he finally walked forward and gave her his full attention.

"Yeah?" He looked to where she pointed.

"How about it, hm?"

He blinked at the newer building and the over at her. "Are you sure?"

She grinned. "Do you know how?"

"Do you?"

No, for now, they might both be kidding themselves. However, as long as she let it go on so would he. After all...

There was Beauty in Pain...


	39. Chapter 39

**..Chapter Thirty-Nine..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_I know you_

_I walked with you_

_Once upon a dream_

_I know you, the gleam in your eyes_

_Is so familiar a gleam_

_I know it's true that visions_

_Are seldom all they seem_

_But if I know you I know_

_What you'll do you'll love me_

_At once the way you did_

_Once upon a dream_

**..**

**.**

Sakura laughed softly as they entered the building and made their way to the front counter. She didn't bother waiting for Kakashi as she purchased two tickets. She did pause though as her eyes scanned the back wall. With a swift nod she motioned to a pair of thick black pants appropriate for the session and purchased them. Once that was done and he finally joined her after lagging behind to hold the door open for a young woman and her kids, they made their way to the rental counter.

"Size six, mens," Sakura told the man behind the counter and looked over at Kakashi. "And you?"

"Size ten," he murmured, "also mens." Once the man was off to get what they wanted he looked over at her. "Why not womens?"

She shrugged. "My feet are a bit wide and hurt in womens. I do have to go one size lower in mens, but, they don't bug me as much."

"Ah," he replied and grabbed his set as the man came back. He watched as Sakura did much the same. They slowly made their way towards a bench in the main part of the building. He sat down and mimicked her movements as they both pulled off their shoes. The laces on the set he acquired were swiftly loosened before he began to pull them on over his socked feet.

"You look like you've done this before," she murmured, still working on her own lacings.

He noted the black pants that covered her legs and the flare of her shirt. Sakura, practical as ever. She might not have planned this night out but she did know how to keep herself from aching worse in the morning.

"I have," he responded. "On a mission to Snow."

Sakura nodded. "During your ANBU years, right? The same one with that princess we saved when we were still Genin?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I was stationed there for a few months with my partner." He smiled and tied the last knot as he went on. "She was always very good at a great many things. But," he chuckled lightly, "ice skating was never her strong point. No matter how much I tried to help her."

Sakura grinned and stood up. "Well, let's see how good I fair, hm?" On wobbly feet she turned and headed for the entrance to the rink floor.

Kakashi followed after her slowly with a sigh and a half smile. He stood carefully behind her as she took one step out and onto the ice while reaching for the railing that went about the floor for beginners to hold onto. As for him, he stepped out after, gliding swiftly and slowly on the ice next to her. He turned and moved into a backward position with ease as he watched her with a smile. "I take it, based on this outcome, you've never been?"

Despite her obvious lack skill she chuckled, good sport that she was. "Once or twice. But it wasn't on as smooth a surface as all this. And, once more, I was doing it to get a certain someone's attention."

Kakashi kept right on smiling as he reached out, offering her his hands, palms upward. "Here, you look utterly helpless."

She arched a brow, pausing as she looked down at his hands. "Well..."

He sighed. "Come on, Sakura. Call it a trade. I'll help you skate if you tell me the rest of that story about your mysterious former love interest."

She eyed him a while longer, eyes narrowed before nodding and reaching. But, apparently either he wasn't close enough or she wasn't. Because the moment she reached out she started to fall. A gasp escaped her.

Kakashi's eyes widened and he moved forward swiftly. Instead of catching her hands though, his open palms met with her under arms. Her face ended up in his chest while the rest of her upper half pressed against his body. Kakashi found himself slowly closing his eyes as he exhaled in much the same speed. The warmth her small, but strong frame provided was enough to make his insides shake and set his blood unconsciously on fire. She was so soft... The heat of her skin beneath the silken material of her dress helped relinquish the hold the chill of the room had over his own body.

He hadn't known why he'd done that; he just had. His body had moved on it's own and naturally at that. As if it only made sense for him to make sure she didn't fall on her face; as if he were afraid she might hurt herself and he didn't want that.

Logically, he knew she would have been fine and he told himself he'd done it to help her save face in front of the other skaters. However, somewhere deeper within himself cried out that he'd done it for a very different reason. A reason that reminded him of a very different woman. A reason that kidded him into thinking, pretending once more, that She was the one in his arms falling over herself and not Sakura.

And yet...

Despite how similar this all felt... he still knew it wasn't Her. Right? Was his heart pulling in a direction he didn't want to grasp because he knew it was Sakura and _not_ his Cherry?

He heard a soft chuckle and opened his eyes to look down as his thoughts broke up. Emerald green met with coal black as he watched a nervous smile bloom out on her face.

"I'm sorry. I really am a clutz, aren't I?"

Regardless of what he'd been thinking about a moment ago he knew it wasn't her fault. He couldn't be upset with anyone, much less her; especially when they'd both come into this knowing what they were doing to one another. "I doubt very seriously you should consider a career choice on ice, if that's what you mean."

She mock pouted and sighed. "I suppose I'm stuck being a shinobi, after all."

He smirked as he helped her pull away and stand. He took both of her hands and without replying right away began to slowly tug her along gently. "Yes, well, I imagine Tsunade would go through every bottle of saki in Konoha if she found out you wanted to be an ice skater instead of a medical nin." He paused, watching her feet and legs. "Bend your knees more, it'll help you keep your balance."

"Oh, alright," she looked down and did so.

"Don't look down," he said with laughter in his voice. "You'll lean forward and fall over for sure. Here, look at me, ok? Sometimes it's easier to focus on one thing while you're learning."

She did so with a nod and met his gaze. Sakura nearly regretted it, of course. It had been bad enough holding his hands, falling into his arms and all the while trying to quell everything inside of her that screamed to reach out and kiss him. Holding his gaze shook her insides very much like she felt the first few times while facing an enemy shinobi across the field who nearly outmatched her. She swallowed slowly and tried to offer a kind smile, too distracted to realize she was getting better.

"Well now," Kakashi said with a hint of reverence, "you're getting better."

"It's not that hard," she replied as she gripped his hands tightly. "At least when one has such a good teacher."

Her words touched him in a way he didn't exactly expect; nor did he want to read too much into. As a result, he did the only thing he could think of doing at the moment--changing the subject. With a soft cough he did so. "You agreed to tell me about the certain someone after I helped you learn how to skate a bit."

"Did I?"

He nodded, smiling.

"And I have no choice but to hold up my end of it? Are you sure you wouldn't rather have something else in return? Like a bottle of Tsunade's best stash?"

He paused to think about that. "A fair offer, but no."

She grinned as they slowly rounded a corner. "Very well. If I have no choice... well.. I am a woman of my word, after all." She took a deep breath and began. "You have to know there really isn't much to tell, but, at any rate... it was during a very cold time of the year."

"Of course," he mused.

She nodded. "We were working together on something. And like any sort of job one does, you have breaks. I wanted to take one but he didn't. At the time we happened to be passing by an open patch of lake iced over from the fresh freeze the night before. A few people were skating." Sakura paused to carefully make the next turn around the rink. "I told him I wanted to and he told me to go ahead. That he would keep on trying to figure things out for the job we were doing."

"Was it really that important? Whatever you two were doing?"

She nodded. "It was. But we needed a break. He was working himself stiff and I was already there." She found herself almost tripping again, but he caught her tightly in the grip of his hands to steady her once more. "Thanks."

"No problem."

She smiled. "I rented a pair of skates and left him to himself. But, of course, as you can imagine, I fell all over myself."

"Let me guess," he began, "your noble love set right out to rent a pair of skates and helped you?"

She laughed. "Hardly, but I'm sure he would appreciate your sense of confidence in him. No," she tried to stop laughing, "quite the opposite."

"He didn't help you?" He blinked, suddenly wanting to beat some sense into this unknown person in her story.

"Oh, he tried," she said with some laughter still in her voice. "But all he managed to do for the first hour or so was fall all over the place with me. Eventually he got it and then he helped me. We were so sore the next day we didn't even leave our room."

"At least he tried to help you," he said softly.

She nodded at that. "He always did..." She shook the feeling off that sunk under skin and asked him a question. "And you? When did you learn to skate?"

"Ah well, I didn't agree to tell you anything now," he said while shaking a finger at her.

She pouted in a very unadult manner. "That's not very fair, Kakashi. You may have not agreed to tell me a few moments ago; however, you did agree we would share a few secrets."

"I did... didn't I?" He mused quietly, teasing her.

But all she did was smile at him knowingly, lids half lowered over her emerald depths. "Yes, you did."

"Very well," he sighed. "But how about we stop for a while and get some hot chocolate? I'm getting cold. Aren't you?"

Sakura nodded and allowed him to lead her towards the exit. A few moments later they were locking the plastic covers back over their blades and heading towards the snack bar area. It was warmer in there, but that didn't stop them from still ordering the frothy drinks. As soon as they were situated he began to tell her.

"It was during my time with my partner," he started as he blew steam off of his drink. "While we were in Snow, of course. We were busy trying to find out what was going on at the request of the royal family. The details really aren't that important and most of them you already know."

She nodded, but kept quiet as she listened to his version of the tale.

"We were both swamped in the 'details' as I recall, and walking the length of the palace to interview people. We were still very much in the middle of our work when I spied the icy covered body of water and several people enjoying it. Now," he began with a half smile as he took a sip of his drink, skillfully hiding his face, "I of course wanted to go. I knew she did. But, I knew it would be a bit more fun if I made her think she had to convince me."

Sakura narrowed her eyes on him, lips pursing as she kept quiet.

"Ah, but my plan did not work out quite as I imagined, I'm afraid."

"Oh?"

He nodded. "Instead, she didn't bother trying much at all. Instead, she took to the ice herself." He chuckled softly. "She fell too many times to count. Finally, when I could hardly take it anymore, I helped her. And yes, much like you and your would-be romeo, we were both very sore the next day. But, at least I managed to learn a new skill by the end of it." He tried to look very proud of himself.

She burst out laughing at his silly attempt at looking smug and ego-bound. "I suppose," she tried to get out, "if you ever need to pretend to be a world class ice skater on a mission you're set, huh?" She snickered, hand covering her mouth. "I can see it now, Hatake Kakashi, figure skater extraordinaire! He's not gay, ladies! But very much available!"

"And the mobs of admirers start to come after me you know what I'll tell them?" He half smiled, leaned forward slightly.

Her facial expression matched his, almost knowingly. "What?"

He smirked. "I'll just tell them you're my girlfriend."

She arched a brow at that as her face turned blank. She would have outright blinked in confusion if it weren't for the humor in his face and his tone. "And what about your mystery woman? Won't she be upset if the whole world thinks your dating me?" She couldn't help the weird feeling that swarmed her system over talking about herself. But he didn't know that, of course. It wouldn't be weird for him.

He chuckled again, surprising her. "No, I doubt it. I'm sure she'd be glad you protected me while she was gone."

Sakura smiled sadly at that, staring down at her drink as she turned the glass on the surface of the table. It was a monotonous action meant to distract her thoughts. It didn't do much good for her or her mood. She looked away from her drink as she sipped it and stared out the open window that gave them a good view of the floor and skating people. "She sounds like a very special woman."

"She is," he agreed, joining her gaze as the night drifted on slowly. He felt like sighing again as the mood dropped. It was all so damned confusing in his mind and heart. Like earlier at the beginning of the date he had to ask himself exactly what this was all about. Who were they trying to kid? What were they doing?

"You must miss her very much," she said suddenly, not really knowing why. No, she knew why. She just didn't want to admit it to herself. Very much like Kakashi, she was wondering who _she _was trying to kid.

"I do," he agreed with an even tone.

Sakura smiled softly. "What was she like?"

He sighed long and hard. "Sakura--."

She turned to look at him. "I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about it."

She was being understanding again, he realized; reading his thoughts and intentions with a flare he hadn't seen... well... since Her. "It's alright," he said kindly as he turned to meet her gaze with a soft smile. "I tell you what, the next time we do this I will."

"Alright..."

"But..."

"I knew there was a catch," she muttered humorously.

He held up a single finger as if to emphasize his point. "_But,_ you must agree to answer twenty questions of mine. Truthfully." When she opened her mouth to disagree he swiftly went one. "All of them will be yes or no. Fair?"

"Fair."

He reached across the table and offered his hand to her. "Shake on it?"

She grinned and took his hand in her own, smaller and equally calloused hands fitting perfectly into his grasp. "You have my word."

As Kakashi released her had with a curious smile he couldn't help but feel a twist of anticipation in his gut over they next time they met. Whatever he asked her he'd have to carefully think over. After all, it wasn't often you got to play such an interesting game with one of your former students, was it?


	40. Chapter 40

**..Chapter Forty..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_5th Year_

_Day 342_

_Time, 2200 hours_

_Cherry,_

_The days pass on like an endless maze. Sometimes, when I write these letters I actually have to look back and check the date to make sure I'm getting it right. Would it be too anguished to tell you I hardly keep track anymore? Would it be too depressing to say I hardly care accept when I write you? Only you can answer those questions and right now you aren't here. You haven't been for over five years, six come spring next year. I hope to be back in Konoha by then. I hope to have found _you_ by then._

_Minato-sama gave me permission to search for you for a few months. Thankfully, the mission roster has been devoid of anything too dangerous. Are we running into a dry spell? The village certainly isn't lacking for funds, not with all the tourism popping up everywhere. I suppose we can afford to lose the more expensive jobs these days, what with Sand having the most wins at the last Chuunin exam. I'd tell you more about them, but right now I'm running short on time. Perhaps in the next letter._

_Or... perhaps if I'm lucky I won't have to write it down. Perhaps I'll find you somewhere in the land of freezing cold, blistering freeze and tormenting winds. I've got nothing to go on but a rumor, but it's enough for me._

_Still missing you..._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

_"Kakashi-sensei?"_

_The silver haired Jounin to her left looked up, blinking from his drowning thoughts obviously centered around the book he wrote in. Normally, the young, pink haired shinobi would see him reading the ever popular Icha Icha series. She knew how he hated writing mission reports; hell, writing in general. What was he doing?_

_"Go back to sleep, Sakura," he chastised her as he turned back to his writing. "We have a long day tomorrow. Six A.M. comes early."_

_It was indeed late, she mused as she looked about. Sasuke and Naruto were asleep next to her, rolled up in their bed mats. Both were comfortably snoring. Occasionally, her blond team mate shifted when a breeze swept past and tickled his nose._

_Her cool emerald orbs pulled away from them and looked back at her teacher. It had only been a few months since they became a team. They'd gone on half a dozen missions together. The Chuunin exams were set to come in a few months as all three were busy preparing under his tutelage out in the wilds of the forbidden areas of Konoha._

_She just kept watching him, once more pulled in to his image by her teacher's inevitable mysterious nature. At times, he could be quick to smile and laugh softly at the team's antics. At others though... when he thought no one was watching... he could look incredibly... lost. He was such a confident man. Sakura had to wonder what made her teacher look as though he was aching. The boys might hardly notice, too caught up with themselves. But, Sakura was always the much more perceptive of the three. And she saw things in her sensei that at times... she saw in herself when she looked at Sasuke. Her crush was an ego-driven, mission-loving, dedicated shinobi. Part of her admired that about him, loved it even. Half of her even looked up to him for that._

_But, here she was getting off topic. She was talking about Kakashi and there her brain went right back to Sasuke. In all truth, she _should_ be thinking more about how to nab her crush. Instead, she found herself more often than naught, worrying about her sensei._

_She admired him in a way... a way that couldn't be pinpointed. It was hard to explain, all considered._

_You see, while her team drove her to not be left behind, Kakashi did not drive her at all. He made a point to egg on Sasuke and Naruto; fanning the fire of their own desire to one-up the other. In stark contrast, Sakura ended up feeling like the third wheel when he appeared to have no words to offer her, no advice, not even a shred of encouragement unless it helped her other two team mates excel._

_It was almost as if she were being ignored. Yes, unless her teacher needed her to lecture the two on some shinobi art, information or guideline, she was essentially ignored. And it was starting to grate her nerves. What could she do about it though? It's not like she could request to switch teams. Unless, Kami forbid, her teacher died. Or, until she was at least a Chuunin. Then at least she would have a high enough rank to request a team of her own._

_She didn't want to though. She loved Sasuke and Naruto. But she hated that she couldn't connect with her teacher; that she couldn't gain his favor. It was more vexing than the time she was five and her father was busy with paperwork during Christmas when all she wanted him to do was look at the new dress her mother had bought for her. She didn't like the dress and it wasn't the point. The point was she'd wanted her father's attention. And even wearing something she'd hated as a child, being a tomboy more then than now, had been an ultimate means to an ends. An ends she'd had to drag out of her father by nearly jarring him from his seat. Had she been older he would have been quite upset with her. Instead, he'd just laughed and picked her up, apologizing for not noticing._

_But, Kakashi wasn't her father. He was her teacher and team leader. She wasn't five either. She was twelve, nearly an adult by shinobi standards. Certainly, tugging at him while he wrote would do nothing but make him very upset. And anyway, she didn't want him to look at her, she wanted him to _look_ at her; to pay attention to her like he did the boys._

Why_, for Kami's sake, didn't he?_

_"What are you writing?" She asked, deciding to avoid his earlier request for her to go to bed._

_He finally put the pen down and shut the book with a snap. "Nothing now."_

_"Oh," she muttered, looking down, realizing she'd irritated him. Nothing new there. She might as well be a leper for all the attention she got from him. Bad attention still wasn't any better than none at all; no matter how you wanted to see it otherwise. "Sorry," she whispered, hugging her knees close to her chest as her mouth rested in the joined point where her knees met._

_"Don't worry about it," he sighed out a reply as he put it away. "I can't see to write much anymore anyway."_

_"Kakashi-sensei?"_

_"Hm?" He watched the flames of the fire slowly die._

_"Do you... are you..."_

_He looked over at her, ebony eye lazily staring. His gaze appeared to prompt her to finish._

_She sighed and looked down again. "Are you disappointed with me?"_

_"Why would I be?"_

_She still didn't look at him, even as his gaze held. No, instead her eyes remained fixed on the ground as she remained silent, thinking._

_"Sakura, if you're going to ask me a question like that I at least deserve an explanation."_

_He was right, of course. He was always right. "It's not that I don't have one... I'm just thinking of how to word it."_

_"Alright... "_

_She didn't sigh this time, but her gaze on the ground did narrow painfully. It didn't hurt physically, but emotionally you could see it in her eyes. "You never..." she started, trailing off. "I mean... well... You hardly ever pay me any attention. Good or bad. I'm beginning to wonder if you even want me on this team, sensei."_

_He blinked at her, looking perplexed. "I'll need more of an explanation than that, I'm afraid."_

_She grumbled softly, but still didn't look up. "You always give Naruto and Sasuke more attention than me. When we're on missions the only time you ever seem to pay me any mind is when one of the boys need an educational lecture. Half the time I wonder if you do that just because you're too lazy yourself to explain it. I doubt you do it in some vain attempt to make me feel apart of this team."_

_"Sakura, I do not--."_

_Her eyes flashed up to his, narrowed. Pain was still etched into them. But she was almost too wound with it to cry. And she was too filled with pride to do so in front of him. "Yes," she muttered, "you do. Anytime you have something new to teach us and I catch on faster, accomplishing it, all you do is use me as an example to further push the rivalry between my two team mates. You hardly ever give me a pat on the back unless it's to fan those same flames. You've taught us all a lot of jutsus, techniques, but you've yet to teach me anything for myself. Whereas, you've taught them at least two apiece none of us know how to do."_

_"Are you asking me to teach you some new techniques?" He sounded nearly oblivious. Either that or he was trying to avoid the real problem and placate her._

_"No..!" She cried out in a hushed whisper as her hands formed fists at her sides. "It's not about the jutsus, sensei. It's about some recognition. It's about you seeing me as an equal member of this team. It's about..." Her mind trailed off as did her voice while she attempted to look for something else. "I want so bad to feel as though I'm not a third wheel here. You knew that the first day we all met. You knew how important that was to me."_

_He slowly turned his one good eye back to the glowing embers, not once moving from his position as his gaze turned softer; much like his voice. "What are you trying to accuse me of? What do you want, Sakura?"_

_"I'm not trying to accuse you of anything. You're my teacher, my captain, sensei. I want you to help me achieve my dream." Her voice was a whisper still. "I'm not asking much. What I'm asking for is what any shinobi wants when they become a Genin. Maybe I don't want to learn a hundred jutsus, maybe I don't want to outmatch my brother or follow in my father's footsteps. But--."_

_"Sakura," he spoke with a strained voice, interrupting her. "I know... you don't... you don't have to say anything else. I understand."_

_"Then why do you keep _ignoring_ me?" She turned to him, moving closer to his position on her hands and knees, looking up to him. "What have I done _wrong_?" She pleaded._

_"Nothing," he sighed out, closing his eyes, his voice sounding lost. "You've done nothing wrong, Sakura." She watched him as he remained silent. She resisted the urge to prompt him to say something more, to explain. This was her sensei, she was talking about, after all. He was a recluse. Whatever reason he had been ignoring her for would be lost to her in the end. He would never tell her, she imagined._

_"I suppose you remind me of someone I once knew."_

_Maybe she had imagined wrong._

_He looked over at her, smiling bitterly. "Maybe because of that, for that reason alone, I've done what I have to you." Just when she was about to inquire more about this mysterious person haunting his thoughts so obviously, he changed the topic. "Although, regardless of that, you have to know you really don't need me like Sasuke and Naruto do. That's the other half of the reason I've been... 'ignoring you', as you like to call it. You're far better than them in obvious ways; talents all your own. You don't need the push they do. Or the manipulation."_

_She frowned at that, thinking perhaps he was trying to butter her up with some lazy excuse. "Sensei," she half grumbled/moaned, "I do understand your lazy nature. But really, lying to me? I'm not the sort of person you sugar coat things for. I, more than anyone else, know my own weaknesses."_

_"I'm not," he blinked at her. When all she did was stare at him like he really was lying, he continued. "You know, you spend too much time dragging yourself down on your own; seeing only on your own drawbacks. If you spent a little more time realizing what you bring to this team instead of what you take away from it, maybe you'd understand why I give you so little attention. Perhaps it is my fault for giving you as little as I do. I'll admit that now. However," he went on, "if you focused on _what_ you were good at as much as _what_ you are _not_ then... well..." He paused a moment, thinking. And then she watched him, still a little apprehensive about his words, as he offered her something else._

_"I'll tell you what," he murmured with a smile. "Play along with me when I egg on the boys and I'll teach you a few techniques in genjutsu."_

_"Genjutsu?" she murmured, her mind working quickly as usual. "Preforming illusionary techniques requires massive chakra control, sensei. I'm not ready for--."_

_He poked her nose, causing her to shush up immediately. "You are. Who mastered the climbing exercise with no trouble when the other two boys were growling in frustration?"_

_"Me, but--."_

_"Who saw through the last genjutsu without the help of my eye or Sasuke's own two on our last mission?"_

_"Me.." she whispered, looking down._

_"Moments ago you were begging me to help you, demanding it even. And now you don't want it at all?" He frowned._

_"No.. I just.. Well.." She blushed, still looking at the ground. "I'm not use to you being like this, is all. I'm so use to you ignoring me... Complimenting me is hard to handle. Believing in me is difficult to imagine, sensei."_

_He pat her knee a few times. "Take it for what it is. I hardly ever compliment the boys because they have egos big enough to do it on their own. I never compliment you because I just assumed you didn't need me to." He shrugged. "I can see how I was wrong. But, when I do give one... it's still not given lightly." He peered down at her, taking her chin in his fingers as he pulled her gaze up to his. "So... is it a deal?" He smirked._

_She smiled, beaming even; more brightly than she ever had. "It is, sensei."_

ooo

"Sakura.."

She felt her body shake slightly, like someone was nudging her and moaned softly. "Go away," she whispered, shifting as the uncomfortable feeling of her position gave way.

"Sakura, wake up."

Someone was shaking her again. Her nose wrinkled, her brow furrowed and her eyes tightened more securely closed. She could hear outside sounds, aside from the one voice trying to wake her up. There really shouldn't be this much noise in her bedroom. Had she left the TV on?

"Forehead! Wake up before I beat you awake!"

She groaned again, realizing who it was finally. Her eyes slowly opened, slits peaking out at the world around her. Her vision met with purple and she realized it was Ino's shinobi skirt. She blinked a few times and reached up to rub sleep from her eyes. It took a moment or two, but after seeing the people moving about, all in lab coats and all working in the white halls, she realized she was in the main lobby of Konoha Hospital.

How had she fallen a sleep there and why?

"What.." she slowly whispered, rubbing her forehead as she sat up. She looked down at her wrinkled attire and realized it was her pj's. Why had she come to work in her pj's?

"You fell asleep last night, hun," Ino explained as she shoved a mug into her hands. "Here, drink this. I would have gotten you the cold stuff you like at the coffee shop, but I think the heat will do you some good." She frowned as her hands set on her hips. "Your nerves must be fried after a surgery like that."

"Surgery?" She slowly sat up and winced as a back pain sliced through her. As it ebbed away and she got as comfortable as she could get in the terrible cushioning of the chair, she took a sip of her coffee. It was obvious from the taste that it was hospital coffee. Nothing too wrong with that, she supposed.

"I almost forgot what you're like when you wake up," Ino said with humor in her voice. "Last night we had to call you in for an emergency surgery around three a.m. Tsunade and Rin wouldn't have called you at all, but they realized they had to once their own chakra reserves started to deplete after several hours. I would have helped, since I'm taking the night shift now, but I'm still learning in that department."

She shook her head at Sakura. "Man, if you don't remember, Forehead, you must have really drained your own reserves last night."

Sakura blinked and narrowed her eyes as she tried to rifle through her thoughts of last night. The fog in her brain cleared and slowly but surely a light clicked on. After her date with Kakashi she had gone to sleep. And a few hours later a nurse had come to her apartment to get her out of bed. Yes, now she remembered. Apparently, Neji's team came back last night and Tenten had been severely hurt. Neji had been beside himself to the point that Lee had to hold him back from the surgery room.

Sakura rubbed the bridge of her nose as her eyes shut tightly. "Tenten survived the night?"

Ino sighed. "Yes, she did. She's a very lucky girl. If that arrowhead had been a few centimeters closer to her heart she would have died before they got her here."

Sakura nodded and looked up at her friend. "And Neji?"

"He'd alright now, thank Kami," she said softly. "I tell you, though, I've never seen Mr. Stoic so emotional. He really must be in love with the girl."

"That's good," Sakura whispered as she stood up, wincing. She grit her teeth at the pain racing across her spine. "Why in god's teeth did you let me sleep here?"

Ino snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "I didn't 'let' you sleep anywhere. I tried to wake you up hours ago but you wouldn't because you were too tired. I don't have your monstrous strength. I couldn't lift you to move you to a bed."

Sakura grumbled as she hobbled towards the doors to leave, best friend in tow. "Then why didn't you at least get one of the orderlies to do it?"

Ino blinked. "Believe it or not... none have been on duty for a while."

Sakura sighed and accepted that. "I'll have to talk to Tsunade about the scheduling then. It appears like someone is messing with it... Anyway, I'm going to head home. A bath sounds like a right good idea."

Ino chuckled. "See ya, Forehead. Don't forget we have a lunch date tomorrow! You promised to pay this time when you came back." She waved her off as the twin glass doors whooshed shut.

Sakura rolled her eyes and sipped coffee from her styrofoam mug. Of course she didn't remember promising her anything of the sort. Ino could be taking advantage of her memory loss, but she didn't know about her little four year trip. So, she doubted it.

Sakura paused and arched her back slightly. She winced again as something popped. However, once the pain was gone, she released her hand from her lower back and relished the small amount of relief that caused.

She kept on walking towards home, ignoring the looks she got from early risers roaming the streets because she was in her cottony night wear and a lab coat. Add in the blood stains that were than noticeable on the white material and she imagined the made quite the picture. If it weren't for the fact that she was a well known medic, she imagined someone would call for a police officer or Chuunin currently regulating the streets.

Oh, but that dream had been weird. Was it dream? Her eyes narrowed as her lips pursed. It had been too vivid for her to simply brush it off as only a dream. Was this how Eon had meant for them to get their memories back? Dreaming made a hell of a lot more sense than just suddenly staring off into space while someone tried to talk to you.

No, she was certain that had to be one of her lagging new memories finally starting to come back. She found it a bit odd the first one she received would be about Kakashi. Did it have anything to do with her feelings or the time she'd spent with him so far?

That aside, how oddly she had viewed him as a young woman. It wasn't all that different from the former reality of her memories. He'd been broody, dark and yet charming all at once. And it didn't take being brilliant to notice why his mood had been the way it had been when they were just starting as a team.

She sighed.

The smaller, less knowledgeable version of herself hadn't know what she'd done to him. She had neglected to read as far into his actions and words as her current self would. No, that little girl would not have a damned clue as to why Hatake Kakashi had been ignoring her. She would question it in her mind. She would wonder endlessly as to why he looked so terrible when her two team mates wouldn't notice at all. But, not once, would she question beyond what was considered unkind. No, even that version of herself was good with tact; good at keeping things to herself and not asking something when she knew it was none of her business. To her, at that time without the knowledge of her own actions, that little girl was still painfully aware of her sensei's pain.

A pain she had caused.

She really had to quit blaming herself. She had to try to anyway. She knew, logically, none of this was her fault. Both her and her teacher were merely a victim of circumstance. Logically, though, circumstance had nothing to do with how she felt about it. Logic had nothing to with the way he had turned out here and now.

No, Hatake Kakashi had ignored her as young Genin because even _he_ wasn't without fault. While the young woman he was charged with protecting and teaching really held no fault in what she'd done to him, he appeared unable to keep from pushing her away beyond what was necessary. He appeared to have had no real way to cope with her face, her laugh, her smile and the way she moved. Even if that little girl hadn't been 'her' in mannerism and experience as she had been to him over fifteen years ago, she must have still been a terribly painful reminder of what he had lost.

Kami, didn't she sound depressing. She really was going to have to stop doing this to herself. There would be more memories to come as time passed. And in truth, if she reacted this way everytime one came up about him and his sad smile, she was going to become suicidal, if not as depressing as he was.

The smart thing to do would be to look on the bright side of things. Which were? Well, they were exactly dating, but whatever it was was a start. In only a few short hours last night they'd gotten very close. Sakura had gotten farther with him in a collection of a few short hours than she had when she'd been his team mate in ANBU or his friend for two years before that.

Sakura took an other long drink from her white cup and sighed.

Yes, looking on the bright side was a good idea. Especially when she still had to face the fact that they were going to be a team again.

"Sakura!"

She paused halfway up the climb of stairs to her apartment and blinked as the voice calling out to her a few short paces away. A moment or two later she had a face to match the voice. She smiled sleepily down at Naruto.

He beamed up at her for a moment and then blinked at her haggard state. "Oi! Are you alright? What are you doing in your pj's and a lab coat?" He wrinkled his nose as he inspected her further. "Is that blood?" He pointed.

She nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, I was called into surgery late last night. What's up?"

He blinked and looked to be trying to remember. "Oh! Dad wanted to know if you and Sasuke would like to join us for lunch at our place later."

She arched a brow before looking down at the time on her watch. It was roughly eight a.m. "What time? And where is your place anyway?"

"Twelve-thirty sharp. And it's the same place he and mom moved into just before we left."

Sakura nodded and looked up from her watch. That gave her roughly three hours to enjoy a nice hot soak and relax for a while before making herself presentable. "Sounds good. I'll be there."

"Great!" He shouted out. "I'd talk longer, but I need to catch Sasuke before he decides to run off somewhere with Itachi." He frowned. "It's enough to make a best friend jealous."

She laughed at that, leaning on the railing slightly. "You can't really blame him, blondie. It's not like he had him all his life, unlike us. Hell, even during the Academy days he still had us around."

Naruto nodded, smirking. "Yeah yeah... I'll see you for lunch, _pinkie!_ Don't be late!" Before she could even think of a reply or retort, he was off like a flash. Sakura shook her head and acceded the final few steps to her apartment door. The day hadn't even really started and already it was turning into a hectic one.

ooo

The grip on his kunai was loose as he shook his hand a few times. The air smelled thick with the scent of the grass and all things nature-bound around him. One narrowed orb looked off about a hundred yards at the visual of his target. He set his stance, exhaled and then twisted his body, flinging the blade. He listened at it cut air, sliced the breeze and finally watched as it landed in the center just as he'd hoped.

He smiled softly, feeling better about the day already. He placed his hands on his hips for a moment before he reached for yet another kunai from his leg strap. A few more goes at this and he was going to have to back up father. Although, too much farther and he wouldn't be able to get the momentum he needed to reach the target.

"How did it go?" A familiar presence rang out as he made himself known, hands in his pockets while he walked out of the brush and towards his friend.

"How did what go?" Kakashi replied, throwing his kunai. He watched as it careened to the left because he'd failed to calculate in the breeze this time. It was a few centimeters off target from what he could tell.

Obito took a place next to him, arching a brow at his poor aim almost accusingly. "Sensei would lecture you for that one," he chuckled out.

"Yes, well, sensei has lectured me over a great many things in the last few years. None of them having anything to do with my aim." He began to move towards the target, Obito following after. As he reached it, he ripped the two kunai from it.

"Anyway," Obito started again, leaning into the target as he looked at his friend. "I was asking about your time out with Sakura last night. Rin told me you guys stopped by her mother's show."

"What of it?" He slid the two kunai back into his pouch.

"Well, how _did_ it go?"

Kakashi shrugged and began to head towards the exit path of the training area. A few young Academy students passed him in a hurry to get their own training. He half smiled at their enthusiasm.

"Feh, don't tell me you're going to keep it to yourself," Obito grumbled out as he dodged the students.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "I'm not telling you anything, crybaby."

Obito frowned, almost slouching as much as his counterpart as they walked on towards the main part of the village. "You're no fun, you know that?"

Kakashi smirked. "So I'm told. And often at that."

"Seriously, asshole, how did it go?" He narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me it was so bad you don't even want to talk about it."

"No," he replied smoothly. "Quit assuming things. It went just fine."

"Mmm.." Obito mumbled.

"Mmm, what?"

"Nothing," he replied hastily.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

Obito merely grinned in response.

"Sometimes I think you're worse than Naruto," he half grumbled.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Obito said without a shred of sarcasm in his voice.

"You would," he said with a chuckle, despite the way it had meant for it to come out.

"Well, at least tell me if you scheduled another date," he prodded, half looking at him as he walked in step next to him.

"We're not dating."

"Whatever. Call it what you want. Did you plan another one or not?" He turned and began to walk backwards, facing Kakashi with his hand still in his pockets.

Kakashi stopped suddenly. "Why are you so damned curious about it?"

Obito rolled his eyes, stopping as well. "Believe it or not, I do care about your sorry ass, bastard. And I would like to see you happy."

"I am happy," he muttered, feeling affronted.

"Well, of course you are," he agreed with a smile.

Kakashi was beginning to wonder if he was just trying to mess with his head. Even Sai wasn't this down right troublesome. At least with words. "Then why are you bothering me, if I'm so obviously happy, crybaby?"

He just kept on smiling. "I'm making sure you stay that way." Obito's expression quickly turned to one of dread as he dodged out the path of his best friend trying to hit him on the top of his head. "Oi! What the hell?!"

"Quit trying to act all dark and mysterious," he muttered, trying to grab at him again.

Obito laughed, dodging again. "Oh, you mean like you?" He yelped was the silver haired Jounin yanked at the back of his green flack vest.

"Obito..." He growled in a dangerous warning.

"Fine, fine," he said as he pulled away from him and dusted off his Jounin uniform. "You really are no fun," he muttered.

"Hmph," his friend ground out, hands on his hips.

He sighed and leveled a gaze on him. "My point is, you _are_ happier today. And part of me wonders if it does have anything to do with your former student."

"Obito..." he said in warning once more, knowing where this was going.

"Hey!" he shouted out in defense. "Did I say one thing about it? Did I? No. Nothing. I'm suggesting none of what you're thinking either. I'm just appraising the fact that you look happy today. Alright?"

Kakashi sighed and looked off down the now deserted path.

"Anyway," Obito continued, still looking at him slightly concerned, "even I wouldn't actually suggest what you're think I'm suggesting. I just like pushing your buttons, you know. You take thing way too seriously sometimes, jackass."

"You mean of getting remotely serious with her?" He avoided the latter remark.

"With Sakura? Yeah." He nodded.

Now he had to know. "Why?"

"She looks just like her, man. Hell, if I were to actually drop the nail on the head, I'd say she was related to Her. But we all know that isn't true. You tried looking into that a long time ago when she first made your team." His eye narrowed. "But you have to know it wouldn't be fair to Sakura. Even I know how much you loved--Sorry, how much you _love_ Her. There's no way, not even you, would be able to separate the two." He paused. "Not in your heart..." He shook his head, following Kakashi's gaze. "No... even if you did ever give up on Her, which I doubt you ever will--and I'm not saying you should for fear of my _life_--actually taking whatever you have with Sakura seriously just would be too damned confusing."

Kakashi swallowed, still looking of in the distance. But his mind was in a very different place. "You think so?" He voice was soft.

Obito blinked. "Whoa... wait a minute... you're not actually thinking about it are you?" Silence. "Kakashi?" More silence. "You've only been on one date with her! What about--!"

"Don't lecture me!" He shouted, softly, if that was possible to imagine. His eyes closed. "I don't know what I'm doing... and you certainly aren't helping."

Obito was silent this time, left staring at him.

Kakashi sighed, smiling sadly, bitterly. "I don't know what I want."

"Maybe I shouldn't have told you to go spend some time with her then," Obito sighed back in return; regrettably so. "Maybe it's just too close to home."

Kakashi shook his head. "Maybe... I dunno... I mean, I will admit Sakura reminds me a lot of Her. Perhaps a bit too much. But.."

"But?"

He shrugged and looked over at him. "I know she's not the same person. Is that hard to explain or what? I mean, as horrible as it is, everything in my gut tells me she is. My heart tells me she is. And yet my mind knows otherwise. She's not and she never will be."

"So what are you trying to get at?" Obito murmured. "Do you want to give up on Her? After all this time?"

He shrugged again. "That's what everyone seems to want isn't it? You all keep telling me She's probably dead. You all keep telling me if we haven't found Her yet I should just move on."

"No one's forcing you to, bastard," Obito whispered, his one good eyes soft. "We all know how special She was. She touched every life She came in contact with in a way no one can explain. Even the people who hardly remember Her remember what She was like or what She did for them."

"Sakura does that too," he replied. "You know?"

Obito sighed. "I know. And I know what I told you last night. But that's before I actually thought you might take this seriously, Kakashi." He sounded more concerned than ever. He'd only wanted to see Kakashi, well, happier. He had never really expected this. Maybe Rin was right. Maybe he just put his nose into places he shouldn't.

"It's one thing to spend some time with someone; to allow yourself some happiness. It's a completely different thing to confuse one person with another because of how you ache. I love you, you jackass, but even I think it's wrong to be happy at the cost of someone's feelings. Especially when you've only been on one date with them. Things like falling for someone when you've been in love another person for as long as you have take careful consideration. Not whims. Not moments."

Kakashi frowned at his words. "Doesn't it?"

"Doesn't it _what_?" he asked, exasperated at his friend's emotions beyond mere words. Putting up with Hatake Kakashi took a strong heart indeed. If not, than at least a strong drink. Even for an overblown, emotional maelstrom like himself.

"Take a moment?"

Obito ran a ragged hand through his short strands. "Hell, I dunno. I suppose so. But, you can't possibly expect me to answer that now. Not when you obviously can't answer it yet yourself."

"I guess.."

Obito sighed again and walked forward. He placed one hand on either of Kakashi's shoulders. "_What the hell do you want, Hatake?_ Are you in love with Sakura? Because, honestly, you better be damned sure you're in love with her, not a ghost, before you go doing something stupid and hurt her feelings."

He looked away, once more looking as lost as he always did. "I know. I'm still too messed up to make sense of it, anyway."

Obito snorted and released him. "Messed up is an understatement." At his obscure look Obito rolled his eyes. "You have all the time in the word, jackass. Hell, it took you two years to finally realize your feelings for Her. And even then it took Her telling _you_ first. Why should you rush things now? Give it time. Think it over. And for Kami's sake, _if_ you do decide to.." he waved his left hand for emphasis as he to find the right words, "_move on_... and with Sakura at that... make sure you've finally moved on with that part of your life. Sakura doesn't deserve that kind of treatment anymore than Her memory deserves to be tainted by it."

Kakashi nodded, feeling his friend was far more insightful than he deserved; especially for being an over emotional, temperamental pain in his ass. "Thanks."

"Yeah, whatever. Now, if you're done being such a woman, can we please go get some breakfast? It's way to damn early to be this philosophical about your feelings."

ooo

Sakura jogged the rest of the short distance to Naruto's family home. She wasn't running late, but she would be if she didn't hurry. Like it was her fault the bath been so nice she'd nearly lost track of time. It's not like she kept a clock in the bathroom. That and she'd left her watch in the living room.

With a smile she opened the small gate leading her to the concrete walkway up towards the old home. It was a lovely place from the outside. The front yard was littered with toys and on the porch as a bench-swing with a few chairs next to it and a small table. The outside was painted in a bright red that didn't stand out all that much n Konoha. After all, this was Fire Country. A great many buildings paid homage to the country's namesake with it's traditional color in Leaf.

Sakura gave a soft rap at the wooden door a few times and waited. A moment or two later someone opened the door and smiled at her. Sakura smiled back. "Kushina-sama."

"Ah, Sakura-san," the woman beamed, clothed in her shinobi attire. It was almost humorous to imagine this strong willed woman in charge of an entire household of four children. If she still walked about in her own version of a battle uniform like Sakura did she must still go on missions. Which, if one thought on it, was incredibly lucky for her since Minato had to say behind at the village because he was Hokage.

"Did you just get back from a mission?" Sakura asked as she let her in and shut the door. The pink haired woman stepped out of her shinobi boots.

Kushina nodded. "Sort of. I was only gone for a few hours this morning, though." She wrinkled her nose playfully. "It wasn't that interesting, to tell you the truth. A small fight broke out between Konohamaru and another boy near the training grounds. They just needed someone to come down and settle the manner. You know how the Third's grandson is. What, with Naruto teaching him new things here and there. His sensei was beside himself."

Sakura chuckled. "I guess it takes a Namikaze to settle a boy following in your son's footsteps."

"You're telling me," she agreed with a smile. "Come one now. Everyone's waiting for us in the kitchen. I've got the table all set up. And with what I heard about last night from Minato, you look like you need something to eat."

"You have no idea."

Kushina only laughed as they walked through the threshold of the kitchen.

As they did Sakura smiled at her two boys when they welcomed her with either a jubilant shout or an idle wave with a half smirk. Conversation quickly picked up as she sat down. First from Naruto about what happened in the hospital last night. Everyone showed their concern over Tenten. Both of team mates were happy when it was revealed the weapon's mistress was just fine. But everyone was obviously still concerned about Neji. Sakura just laughed that off, saying he probably deserved something like that now and then from her since he scared her so much with his own devastating injuries. Everyone laughed at that and the conversation turned to less serious topics; such as what she and Kushina had been discussing when she was let in.

All in all, it was a good lunch.

The food was good, the company was good. To think the day was only just starting still. And she hadn't even been on her next 'date' with Kakashi.

"So," Minato began from his place at the head of the table, gaining everyone's attention with one word. "I think it's fair to ask you all just when you're going to finally turn in that mission report."

Naruto blinked and it was obvious to Sakura he didn't _know_ when he asked, "What mission report? Did Kakashi not turn ours in?"

Sasuke just arched a brow.

And Sakura? Well, she smiled as she set down her chopsticks and leveled her gaze on her blond friend. "No, Naruto, I think he means _the_ mission report."

"Huh?"

Sasuke sighed and smacked the back of his head. "She means he knows, you dolt."

"He does?" He stared blankly as Sasuke, still not quite getting it. He blinked a few more times, his mind starting to work. "Oh!... wait, he does?" Naruto looked across the table at Sakura who was next to his mother.

She nodded, smiling and looked over at Minato when he started to speak again.

"So, shinobi of Konoha, do I get an explanation? After all, I've waited well over fifteen years for one. Sixteen, if you want to be technical," Minato mused with a smile.

"Oh, I don't mind," Sakura said with a grin, "as long as _I_ don't have to write it."

He laughed. "A verbal report is just fine, Sakura."


	41. Chapter 41

**..Forty-One..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_I don't quite know_

_How to say_

_How I feel_

_Those three words_

_are said too much_

_They're not enough_

_If I lay here_

_If I just lay here_

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world? _

**..**

**.**

It had taken about another hour or so, but they had managed to get it all out. It was rather difficult though, what with all the questions and interruptions. And did Minato and Kushina have a lot of them. If it wasn't him or Kushina asking it was Naruto interrupting either her or Sasuke. She couldn't even begin to tell anyone how much she'd wanted to reach across the table and smack him. Thankfully, Sasuke had done it enough for the both of them.

Still... she had to wonder if her blond friend wouldn't one day end up with brain damage over all those smacks to back of his cranium.

"I think that about sums it up, right?" She asked Minato.

He nodded, calm as ever. "Most definitely. I don't think I have anymore questions. And I'm sure you have other things to do today."

"I do," she said with a smile in return. "But I don't mind. However," she edged, "I do have one question."

"Shoot."

Her eyes narrowed slightly and her lips pursed as she leaned into the flat wooden top of the table. "If you knew all this time... why didn't you ever tell Kakashi?" The question had been nagging at her ever since he'd left her in the gazebo that night, hope filling her veins. "I wasn't allowed to tell him the truth. But.. you.. well.."

Minato sighed as he leaned back into the comfortable curve of his chair and regarded not just her, but the rest of the table as well for a moment. "At first, I didn't tell him because I assumed if you hadn't then he didn't need to know. I've learned over the years the more people there are that know something, the more dangerous the information can be. Make sense?"

She nodded. "It does... and we're all thankful for that, I suppose. But," she said with curiosity in her voice, "you said, 'at first'. Was there another reason?"

"The same reasons you have for not telling him now are the same ones I had for not telling him then." He reached for his drink and paused only to take a sip. "I would say you have no idea, but I'm sure you do." For a moment, Minato looked older than he was as he went on with his statement, staring down at his glass. "Before I had children of my own, Kakashi was and still is, very much like a son to me. To watch that son grow, fall in love, lose that love and then fight giving up on it for the last fifteen or more years..." He shook his head. "It's not easy," he said softly.

His eyes drew to her as she spoke. "I am sorry, Hokage-sama."

He shrugged. "Why, girl? It's not your fault. Honestly, I'm just as much to blame as you for what he's been through. I sent you three out to try for his team as Genin. And look that that's done."

Sakura shook her head. "You still shouldn't blame yourself."

"I don't," he murmured back with a smile. "And neither should you."

Sakura flushed, realizing without even trying he'd turned the whole thing around on her. How did this man know what she was thinking? And with only a few words at that.

"Shinobi quote two-hundred and twenty-three," he said with yet another smile, "The life of a shinobi is a short one. Don't leave it with any regrets. Live each moment until it's your last. Love until you can't anymore. Smile until it hurts. But whatever you do, don't leave with any regrets."

Sasuke arched a brow, finally speaking, "Who said that?"

"Yeah, that sounds pretty deep," agreed Naruto.

Minato just kept looking at Sakura with a knowing smile.

She sighed, not really being able to help the smile curling in the corners of her mouth as the flush rose higher. "I can't believe you put that one in the books."

Naruto blinked and looked over at Sakura. "You said that?"

"Yes," she said with a half smirk. "Just before we left. It was in the note I wrote to Kakashi when Eon came to get me." She shook her head at Minato. "And here I thought Eon was bad. But, for the record," she continued as she reached for her own drink, "I don't blame myself anymore. And I think I'm more than ready to find a way to get him back. I'm still not sure... but I think spending more time with him is a good start."

"I'm glad to hear that," Minato replied.

Sakura heard something edging in that tone of his. It was the same edging she always heard in anyone's voice right when they were about to tell her something more. The general problem with that was she never knew if it was good news or bad. "Oh?"

He nodded. "Yes, at the end of the week I'll expect that verbal essay. Shorty after that you'll need to have your bag packed to go on a mission with Kakashi."

"A week?"

He nodded.

She paused.

"Is that a problem?" He arched a brow. "If it's too soon, I can postpone your departure for another week or so."

Sakura shook her head. "No, it's fine." She took a sip of her drink and sighed with a genuine smile. There was worry mixed in with it, but not much. Not the kind of worry that had nagged her a few days ago. "I suppose he'll need to find out sooner or later."

"You haven't told him yet?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura turned her attention to her questioning team mate. "No, I haven't."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" The Uchiha asked quietly. "Do you really want to wait until he has to give you mask to let him find out?"

Sakura leaned back into her chair, one hand still holding her drink. She looked comfortable and rather stoic. However, when she spoke there was an air of knowing and confidence in her voice. As though after days, years even, she had finally figured out what she needed to do. No, there was almost nothing left of the quiet, shy, timid girl they all once knew.

"I have to, Sasuke. This isn't about me and it hasn't been since we got home. I have to tread carefully. This isn't a mission were talking about. It's another person's feelings. If I'm not careful, if I don't choose my words wisely, if I don't choose my actions wisely, I may end up losing him entirely." Her eyes narrowed on the glass. "I'm not just fighting for my own feelings here. I'm fighting for him. He just doesn't know it yet."

Sakura knew if she had any hope of winning the fight for his heart, the fight against his own demons and any chance of healing him she would have to be strong. There could be no second guessing herself. There could be no doubts. There wouldn't be.

She was resolute.

ooo

And she was. She continued to be. The days passed on much like they had before. They laughed together, smiled together and shared some secrets. Although, none nearly as telling as that first night.

They went to the park, the movies and even ice skating one more time. Sakura told him more about her parents and why she had decided to become a shinobi in the first place. And as more memories returned to her she told him about Ino and confided in him how happy she'd been when Sasuke hadn't truly ever come between her and her best friend.

In return, he confided in her about his father and mother; telling her things she already knew, but was still happy he felt comfortable enough to tell her as she was. He didn't once talk to her about the woman in his past for the rest of the week. Of course, she'd only agree to postpone that story because he said he needed more time to think up his questions for her. A man needed to time to think, or so he'd told her. And, well, with a knowing smile she'd simply agreed to wait; saying something about the best things in life were the ones people took the time to be patient about.

Currently? Our heroine was up to her knees in brush. Vines lashed at her legs, branches brushed against her sides and something dark and inky coated her face like a war paint. A green and brown jumpsuit much too large for her was zippered up to her neck. Her short strands were pulled back and out of her eyes in an uneven messy manner. Bits of pink stuck out in various directions from the bandanna about her head.

She drew in a careful breath and slid around the large trunk of a tree, her back scraping into it though not making a sound. She inhaled the air about her keenly, trying to take a page from her 'enemy's' book. But, unlike him, it appeared as though she lacked that perfect sense of smell. Perhaps she's bribe Kiba into one day teaching her the technique. She needed it to fend off her foe's absolutely unmatched stealthy nature. The only thing she had going for her was the training she'd received as an ANBU. The same training he'd received.

Where was he anyway? The trees? Or was he using a illusionary technique like her, hiding his chakra and concealing himself like an invisible creature of the night. If she wasn't careful he'd see right thought her's with that eye of his. What she wouldn't give to have something like that, even in a moment such as this.

She paused as something crackled to her left.

She turned slowly, eyes narrowing and listened.

It snapped again and she turned right. With a sharp grin she threw her weapon.

SPLAT!

Damn! Her mind reeled as the wet, gooey, glow in the dark paint hit the bark of a tree. Her position had been given away. If she didn't move now he'd have her for sure. In a flash she was off, leaping with the aid of chakra. She bounded off of one tree trunk and then another.

Her breath caught and her face flushed in exhilaration as a splat was heard next to her. He was fast on her tail, she could sense it. If she hadn't moved at the last moment she was sure she'd be the one, not the tree, with mucky stuff all over her.

She ran up the trunk of another tree as she felt another splat just under her. She flipped back at the last moment, landed and threw a ball at his back just as he began to skid to a stop. "Ha!" she cried out. Her victory was short lived as his agile form turned into a puff of smoke and a log thudded to the ground.

Replacement technique! Damn, she should have seen that one coming. If he had... then... crap! She need to mo--SPLAT! Sakura groaned, but ran anyway, shifting into the darkness. Her back had to be coated in the stuff; which meant she had a handicap to deal with now. With some quick hand signs she preformed her own jutsu. Her clone lept out in a puff of smoke next to her and nodded. She knew what to do already.

Sakura stopped moving and took a place high above in a tree. She used the genjutsu technique again and became utterly unseen. Now all she had to do was wait. If her clone managed to distract him like she wanted then the game would be hers. She wasn't kidding herself though. He _was_ Hatake Kakashi. If all she planned on using was a simple clone to win she would be in a world of hurt. Er, paint, in this case, she supposed.

She waited and waited. Sure enough, as her clone came running past beneath her, so did her target. But she wasn't going to play into his trap this time. Not again. He had to know already that was a clone. He was just stringing her along. So, with another telltale grin, she executed the rest of her plan...

Kakashi narrowed his eyes from where he crouched and leveled his two eyes on her clone's back as his own clone went after her. He smirked softly from his hiding place as someone shifted from the shadows behind his other clone crouched ahead him, also watching the hunt. As this happened, he stood up and pulled his arm back, fully intent on hitting her with yet another ball. Although, you know what they say about the best of well laid plans, right?

Trust me, it doesn't matter.

As he shifted out of his hiding place something smacked the side of his head, splatting goo everywhere. His senses were jarred so badly that at that exact moment each and every clone he had placed on the field just puffed away. He heard sharp laughter to his left and blinked as he reached up and rubbed the messy stuff off his face.

"Critical point hit! That's game, Kakashi!" She called out, holding her side as more laughter erupted from her.

He half smirked as he continued to wipe goo from his face. He watched as she struck a pose of victory and gave him a V hand sign with two fingers.

"Bwhahaha!" She mocked, obviously pleased. "The mighty foe, Hatake Kakashi, Sharingan user extraordinaire, has been defeated!" She came forward, holding a mock mic in hand that resembled a stick. "So, now that you've lost to the brilliant, gorgeous, and devious Haruno Sakura, tell us, what will you do next?" Her tone was like that of a TV weather woman or an interviewer.

He continued to smirk, opting to play along with her for now. "Oh, I dunno," he drawled, "I was thinking I might just plan a secret attack on her when she least expects it."

Sakura's eyes narrowed as the corner of her mouth curled into a half smile/smirk. It all happened rather slowly, especially with the way he was eying her like a piece of prime meat. "Oh, come on now.. don't be such a sore sport..." She began to slowly back up as he stalked her. Her hands were drawn out in front of her as large smile bloomed on her face. Laughter rang out as she tried to dissuade him. "Kakashi... don't you dare...!"

"Don't I dare, what?" He grinned mischievously.

"I don't know, but you'd better not do it, whatever it is."

"Or what?" He suddenly paused.

She did as well. "Or I'll--No!" She squealed as he charged at her. He'd fainted her out and she'd fallen right for it, not that she was really trying to put up much of a fight. "Kakashi! Quit!" He reached for her, grabbing her as she struggled, laughing himself as he headed for a corner of the forest, not too far from where the game had abruptly ended.

"You know, Sakura, you really look like you need a bath. All that war paint is starting to stain your face, I think." He stopped on the edge of a cool stream.

Sakura squirmed in his arms, alarm racing her system as she twisted around to see where he'd taken her. Her narrowed gaze shot back to his as she tried to quell her smile. "Don't even think about it..." she warned dangerously.

He just smiled back and leaned closer to the edge. "I hear the water is about sixty today, what with all the rain." And then before she could utter a cry of protest he was dropping her in. He laughed just as she did earlier at her devious victory, hands holding his side. He laughed until it subsided into a soft chuckle. And then both of his eyes slowly narrowed as his laughter died completely. He stared down at the water, bubbles popping from where he'd dumped her in.

He leaned down cautiously. "Sakura...?" Nothing. A slow sort of dread started to fill him while he waited for her to resurface. He knelt down, staring. He knew this part of the stream was deep enough that she wouldn't hit her head on any rocks and hurt herself. But then... these things changed from day to day. Who knew what had happened here since the last time he came to train in these woods. Any young shinobi could have knocked a large piece of tree or stone in there. And if she went down quick enough she could very well hit something and knocked herself out.

"Sakura?" He whispered on more time, concerned. He'd wait a moment longer before--. His eyes widened as an arm reached out from below the surface and a hand gripped the front of his jumpsuit. Shit! He'd been had! He tried to pull away but it was too late. His face met with ice cold water as his whole body was enveloped with the stuff. He pulled up to the surface, gasping for air as he shook.

Sakura laughed from where she stood on the surface of the water, chakra helping her hold the position. "You look like a drowned rat!" She snickered at his narrowed gaze as he spit out some water that had gotten into his mouth when she'd unexpectedly pulled him under.

"That," he said evenly, almost pouting, "was in very bad form."

"Oh, whatever," she said with humor in her voice. "You would have done the same thing to me, Mr. Morbid Humor. You know you would have. Admit it."

She was right and he knew it. He would have, given the right opportunity. He half smiled. "I admit nothing. But, will you help me out?" He reached for her hand.

Her gaze narrowed suspiciously. "Yeah right. I'm not falling for that. I know you. But, I will agree to a truce. Minus the hand up." She turned with a grin and stepped up and off the surface of the water.

She was right again. He would give her that. Checkmate? Since when did he become so bloody obvious? Or maybe she'd just gotten more perceptive? He opted not to think on it too much and settled for pulling himself out of the stream the old fashioned way. He caught the towel she threw at him and muttered a thanks. He wiped down his face and ran it through his wet strands. After a moment he handed it back to her and began to slip out of his soaking wet jumpsuit. They were both drenched underneath.

"We should head to my place. It's closer," Sakura offered after she tugged her own jumpsuit off.

"Yeah, well, I get the shower first. You owe me for that last one," he muttered humorously.

She rolled her eyes as she slung her bag back over shoulder. One of the two they'd filled with paint balls before the start of this whole game. "I don't owe you anything, Hatake. I won fair and square. The rest you brought on yourself. But," she smirked as they headed back towards the main path that would lead them back to housing districts of Konoha, "if you want to whine about it, I'll let you go first."

"Ha, ha," he deadpanned, "If you call that whining what do you call what you did back there before I threw you into sixty degree water?"

"Whatever," she retorted with a smile. "I still won. And as victor since you get the shower first I get that story your promised me first."

"Collecting your boons of war?" He arched a brow over at her as he began to replace his headband over his Sharingan. "I agreed to no such thing."

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest as they rounded a corner. "It's been a week, Kakashi. Surely you've come up with twenty questions by now. I know tortoises faster than you."

"Yes, well," he drawled, "Maybe I just like making you wait."

Sakura just laughed as they neared her apartment. She reached for the railing and trudged up the wooden stairs. "Yes, well," she mimicked him as she began to unlock her door, "I won't take no for an answer tonight. Not if you still want the shower first."

He pouted up at her playfully. "You're a cruel woman, Haruno."

She looked over at him, smirking slightly as she arched a knowing brow. "I never said I was nice."

ooo

An hour or more into the evening, a warm fire burning from her fire place and two clean bodies settled in the comfort of the couch later and all seemed very well indeed. It wasn't often she even considered turning the blazing thing on during spring. But, it was a tad chilly out tonight. And both she and Kakashi were still cold from the 'swim'.

Her cool green orbs glanced over at the clock on the wall, noting it was well past midnight. Tomorrow... a few hours before this same time, she would be his team mate once more. Tomorrow, she could very well find herself no longer in his good graces. But even these thoughts didn't detour her from thinking she'd made the right choice. Angry or not, tomorrow she would deal with whatever he handed to her. Tomorrow, she hoped everything she'd done this week kept him from hating her when he found out she would be his partner. That she alone would be taking up a mantle that he'd reserved for someone else. A mantle he didn't believe anyone else should wear but Her.

She stared at the flames as she sipped her hot chocolate, resisting the urge to shiver over the chill that still swept her system.

"So," he began, holding his own cup of the warm liquid normally reserved to be partaken of during the holiday season. "It appears I still have a story to tell you."

She nodded and bit her lower lip, almost apprehensive about what he might say. Was it wrong for her to ask this of him? Would he hate her for it all when he did find out she was actually the love he so longed for? Would he think she had been toying with him?

"You know, Kakashi, if you want... I'll let you ask me those twenty questions first. You don't have to tell me anything. Really."

He shook his head. "No, I want to. It's only fair, given all you've shared with me this week." He paused. "Given all you've done for me this week." But just as soon as his tone turned soft and forlorn, it jumped back to a more happier air. He took a sip from his mug and smiled.

"I met her when I was twelve. It was just after the Third Great War ended...." And he went on from there. He told her about Obito and how he'd lost his eye. He told her about how Obito had saved his life and how She had saved Obito's. He told her with reverence in his voice how he looked up to Her and how as the years passed She became more than just someone he'd be forever indebted to for saving his best friend's life. He told her how he fell in love with Her. How he'd kissed Her on the wall of Konoha the night the Kyuubi attack. He smiled as he spoke of their years in ANBU and how She'd completed him in a way no other possibly could.

And when he finally began to explain their first night together, excluding many details of course, and just when she thought her heart could take no more, she nearly cried. It took every breath in her body to keep from doing that. Hearing his side of it was something she found she needed, without even knowing it.

Minato and Tsunade had filled in quite a few gaps for her. The diary only logged the first year without her in his life. All these things hardly matched up to the grief, sadness, joy and finally hope present in his voice as he spoke about her.

Sakura reached out and took his his hand. She was glad when he didn't stop her; even as her fingers interlaced his and her breathing hitched while she stared into the flames.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes flashed over to his, and she almost broke at the pain in his eyes. She wanted to cry out an apology. She hadn't been prepared for the new weight that gripped her chest and shoulders over his words. It wasn't guilt. She no longer felt that way. She couldn't if she had any hope of doing what needed to be done for him. But what she did feel was empathy and pain for him.

She forced a smile. "Thank you for sharing that with me... I think I understand a bit better now... why you love Her so much."

"Thank you," he murmured in reply still meeting her gaze.

"Why?"

"Because," he sighed out, "I've talked with Rin and Obito about it many times. Even Minato-sensei. I think I even spoke to Jiraiya about it once or twice when he came to give me a new book in his series. And yet... no matter how much I talked about it or who I talked to... It never really felt like I was easing any pain over it. Talking to you," he went on, squeezing her hand, "knowing you share the same pain, in my regard... it's somehow different. I almost can't explain it, Sakura. You give me... a sense of relief." He reached for his chest, gripping the place where his heart would be, bunching the material of his spandex ANBU shirt. "This entire week has felt that way. Like a huge weight has been lifted from my chest. I don't know if She'll ever come back. I keep hoping She will. I keep on having faith, you know. And I told Her I would wait an eternity if that's what it came down to...but my resolve..." He broke off, losing whatever he was trying to say.

Sakura squeezed his hand. "She'll come back, Kakashi."

He shook his head, smiling sadly. "You're too kind, Sakura. A week ago you told me you were in love with me. You spent all this time with me in some vain attempt to help me and yourself, knowing, all a long I might never be able to give you want you wanted in return." His gaze narrowed on her as his hand dropped from his chest. "Are you really satisfied with that?"

She blinked, not entirely expecting that sort of question. "What... what do you mean?"

"How can you be happy? None of this is really fair to you. In retrospect, I'm using you."

Sakura shook her head. "Life is rarely fair, Kakashi. And if you want to be technical, I'm using you as well." She smiled bitterly. "We've already discussed this. And we agreed it was alright." Her eyes softened. "Have you changed your mind?"

He shook his head, releasing her. "No.. I guess..."

"What?" She half chuckled. "You guessed at some point I would have walked away? I told you, Kakashi. I'm not a child anymore. I understand the thin line we're walking. And for now, know that I'm ok with it."

He wanted to argue that she was wasting her time. She could be with anyone else. She could be out with someone unattached and not nearly as damaged. She could very well be at a bar right now, or a club, sipping a odd colored beverage as some young buck hung on her every word like she was the most perfect thing in the world. He didn't deserve her company. Not when ultimately, he was just a pitiful man waiting on a pipe dream.

He was losing sight of himself with each moment, each year, each pass of the hands on the clock. Could he, should he, consider being happy with her? With Sakura? He still didn't know. He knew the more time he spent with her the more he didn't want to keep doing this. She wasn't the same person, he knew that. No matter what his heart shouted, she wasn't. And it was a very grave possibility that the person his heart yearned for wasn't coming back...

...would it really be so terrible to finally say goodbye to that part of his life and reach for something he had in his grasp right now? He still didn't know. That chain hanging around his neck, cold metal pushing into his chest under his shirt argued against that.

He'd made a promise, after all. To a woman he'd claimed he would love for the rest of his life; a woman he said he would be alone without. Was he really so fickle and individual? Was his heart really so easy to sway as all the others he'd regarded as a boy when he'd first considered Her?

He didn't want to think so... really he didn't.

He told her he'd be alone without Her. He'd told Her he'd die a bachelor without Her. If She never returned his love at all, he'd said he would never love another. Those were his words! So, what in the hell was he doing now?

"Kakashi?"

"Huh?"

She smiled at him, utter happiness reflected in her eyes. "I believe I owe you some answers."

"Ah..." he said with a real smile, despite his former torrent of thoughts. "So you do. Very well." He looked down at his hot chocolate and quickly realized it was lukewarm. With an idle sigh he set it down on the coffee table before him. "I'm afraid I don't have them ready yet. You're just going to have to wait."

She groaned. "You're impossible, you know that?"

He smirked knowingly. "So I've been told.... " he drawled out, getting more comfortable, "..so I've been told." The only reply he got was another groan which prompted a chuckle from him. For now, he admitted, it was good to laugh. And if that's all he could right now with Sakura, it would have to be enough. At least until he got his thoughts sorted out; and his heart.


	42. Chapter 42

**..Chapter Forty-Two..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_5th Year_

_Day 355_

_Time, unknown_

_Cherry,_

_I'll make it brief, as I don't think I have much time left. This may be my final hour, my love. The cold... it's so bitter. I can barely feel my legs anymore. I summoned the dogs but even they're slowly beginning to admit defeat against the freeze. I sent Pakkun out hours ago to find help. And on the off chance he doesn't find help in time I... I sent him with my half of a ring. At least... At least if I don't survive this you'll have that final piece of me. I only hope they manage to find me so you read this letter of my last moments._

_They say right before you die your life passes before your eyes. How lucky I am to have had you there the entire time. Perhaps my entire life was just a long, forlorn dragging out of your image._

_Know that... Know that no matter what happens, my love, I will remain by you. If no where else, then in your heart. Keep me in your thoughts, save a place for me in the crease of your smile. I have no regrets. Just like you told me not to._

_Forever, I will be missing you..._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

_"Very well. Everything appears in order. You've gotten at least five references and one from your teacher." Some documents were shuffled about on the hard wood surface. A few stacked neatly between calloused hands. "I do have one question though..." A pause. When the woman on the other side of the desk did nothing but nod with arched brows, he continued. "Why do you want Kakashi as your sponsor?"_

_Sakura blinked. "Excuse me, Hokage-sama.."_

_"Yes?"_

_She forced herself to look confident and squared her shoulders. "Is it important why?"_

_Minato smiled softly as he dropped the stack of papers flat onto the desk in a neat manner. "I can see Tsunade has been teaching you more than medical knowledge."_

_Sakura blanched. "F-forgive me, Hokage-sama, I meant no disrespect! I--." She stopped speaking as he interrupted her with laughter._

_"It's fine, Sakura," he continued with a chuckle. "Really. I would rather you be that way." His eyes reflected his own perfect sense of wisdom; something that could not easily be learned or given. "It's a good quality to have not only in a shinobi, but in an ANBU candidate." He paused to reach for his drink, momentarily looking away from her. "And, I suspect, you have enough tact to know when to wield that fire and when not to."_

_"Y-yes... Hokage-sama," she said softly, forcing down a flush at his flourishing compliment. Despite being her team mate's father she'd never quite gotten use to his awe-striking aura._

_"Now, as for my question. Yes," he replied after taking a sip of his drink. "It is. Very important. Let's just say I need a very good reason to put your former sensei back on ANBU. And for now, that's all you need to know."_

_Sakura nodded as she took in a deep breath while lacing her hands together behind her back. Once more, she made an attempt to look proud, confident and as talented as her shishou boasted._

_The answer? The truth? She had many reasons, but the one she would keep to herself was a simple one._

_She was in love with her former sensei._

_All other reasons were second. All others branched off the first. All others would be revealed in her next few sentences._

_When she spoke, her face was schooled to near stoicism. It was a face she would have to get use to if she planned to survive the next six months. All shyness, all fear, all doubt, would have to be drilled out of her and she was prepared for that. She had been ever since she'd reviewed the qualifications for the training in the unit._

_When she spoke, however, her voice was filled with such an emotion and strength none would argue with it. At least she hoped._

_"When I first met Kakashi, Hokage-sama, I felt he was a rigid and withdrawn individual. To me, he was far too hard. He drilled into my team endlessly, as if he hated us. He was crass, crude, and sarcastic. He pushed Naruto and Sasuke to the point of what I can now medically classify as reckless. Whatever his attempts were at the time, I easily felt they were uncalled for."_

_"Are you sure you're trying to convince me to allow him to be your captain or dissuade me?"_

_"With all due respect, Hokage-sama," she said with a hard, but humble tone, "I'm not finished."_

_He smirked and waved his hand. "Very well. Continue, Haruno."_

_"Thank you, sir," she replied, trying to remain calm; as calm as her Hokage always appeared. "However... as time passed, I realized Hatake Kakashi was not the man he displayed." Her features softened a moment. "I eventually came to the conclusion that his reasons for being what I assumed were 'hard' on his team were valid. In his eyes, we were weak-willed, undisciplined, and had no real idea as to what we needed to become to reach our own goals. And," her gaze shifted to Minato, "I slowly came to admire him, Minato-sama... " She once more reached for her wealth of confidence that Tsunade had drilled into her for countless years._

_"Kakashi helped me get to place in my life, in my career, that I wished to be. I believe, were it not for him, I never would have passed the Chuunin exams the second time around with my team. I don't think I would have survived making Jounin if not for his words of guidance and strict adherence to making sure we all had the skills to stand on our own two feet. _

_"You see, Hokage-sama," she went on, retaining that structured stance, "he could have easily given in at any time. He could have easily given up on us at any moment. Like any teacher or parent feels when the guilt of watching their charges becomes too much, he could have allowed us to slip up for his own selfish desires. But... he didn't."_

_Minato nodded. "That's all good and well, Sakura. And I commend you for speaking so highly of the man. I agree with you. But you still have yet to give me your own personal reason for wishing him to be your sponsor, your captain."_

_"Yes, Hokage-sama. I know. Forgive me for being so long winded. It's just very important that you see him as I do before I explain my reason." When he motioned for her to finish she did. "I'm sure you're very aware he's been requesting to return to ANBU."_

_Minato nodded again. "I am. I'm sure it's correct to assume you've seen him turning in the paperwork over the years?"_

_"Yes, it is," she replied._

_"Surely," he murmured, lacing his hands together in front of him at the desk, "you're not suggesting your only reason for wishing to join ANBU, go through six months of lock down and harsh treatment is to return him to the unit? Because if that's the case--."_

_"No, sir. It's not," she hastily replied. "I wish to join ANBU and I want Kakashi as my sponsor because I admire him. I respect him as a squad leader. He has not only protected myself and my team as if his life depended on it, but he has taught us how to protect and defend ourselves for when such a time comes that he is no longer there."_

_"Is that all then?"_

_She shook her head. "No, I owe my former teacher a boon."_

_"A boon?"_

_And then, she got to real heart of the matter. "When I first joined Team Seven I came into that squad knowing I had a lot to work on; that I inevitably would have to struggle for recognition. From myself and from the village. It was and still is my dream to become the best shinobi I can possibly be; to never be left behind because of what I believe I cannot do... or overcome." She paused, collecting her thoughts and courage. "Kakashi has helped me achieve these things. I can say with certain confidence he went above and beyond to call of duty as my sensei. So, in that respect, I wish to return to him what he has given me the only way I know how to._

_"I know whatever haunts him is none of my business. I know in my own way I may never be able to truly help him. But I do know whatever it is he's hoping to achieve or find in this life is located in ANBU." Her eyes closed a moment. "Make no mistake, I'm not doing this solely for him. It just happens that my goals fall in line with his. That aside, I can truly see no other person standing by my side for the next year... or longer if he wishes it... Hokage-sama."_

_There was a long, silent and drawn out pause from Minato as he stared at her with narrowed eyes. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. In all truth, she had no idea _why_ her sensei had ever left ANBU to begin with, if he had done it willingly. And she had no real way of knowing if Minato would approve her request. But, she did know what she wanted and why she wanted it._

_She wasn't kidding herself. In the eyes of a man she grown with, laughed with, fought with, and slowly come to love she was quite possibly nothing more than a child. He may never perceive her as anything else. But, if she could do nothing more for him, she would do this. And if need be, she would fight tooth and nail for it. She'd been prepared for that the moment she walked into this office._

_"Very well, Haruno," he began, jarring her from her thoughts. "I'll see what I can do. I make no promises, but I will tell you I'll do everything I can to see to it he becomes your sponsor."_

_Her eyes stared at wide in surprise and shock. Her voice was a bare whisper. "You will..?" Then she blinked, shaking her head, quelling her joy. It wasn't easy, seeing as how it brimmed at her very core. "I m-mean, thank you, Hokage-sama."_

_"You're welcome, Haruno." he said with a telling smile while stamping the final approval mark on her file. "I'll send these off to HQ as soon as possible. Be prepared. In a few days you'll be leaving for the unit. For now, you're excused." He looked up when it was apparent she wasn't moving and continued to smile. "I said, get out of here, Haruno. Before I change my mind."_

_"Yes, Hokage-sama! Thank you, Hokage-sama!" And then without another word she was dashing out of the office with a little less grace than what had been drilled into her for years. It wasn't until she reached the outside that she finally yelled out in joy._

ooo

Her bags had been packed and all her final goodbyes had been said. For those who still didn't know what she was doing or where she was going she only told them it was a duo mission she was bound for that would take a few weeks. After all, they didn't need to know the details. She wasn't lying. She didn't know what the mission entailed. Kakashi would brief her on that when she met up with him. She did know, whatever it was, wouldn't be a walk in the park. S-class rarely was.

Earlier in the day she'd picked up her newly tailored uniform, metal guards, sword and all. Her much older uniform and weapon sat in the far reaches of her closet in her old pack. There was no way she could use that anymore.. even if she wanted to. Everyone would wonder why she had it, seeing as it was over fifteen years old. The new standard wasn't that much different, but the details would be a beacon of light to any number of half decently trained shinobi.

Her eyes glanced up to the clock, noting she had about an hour left before she needed to leave. The time would tick on like a death march in her mind. To say she was nervous was more than an understatement. Her stomach was doing somersaults.

She'd replayed his reaction over a hundred time in her head since the day started; something she'd avoided doing all week while she was with him. Would he yell at her? Would he scream at her? Or would he just stare at her, cold features schooled away to near perfection under his half mask before simply pulling on his porcelain one and ordering her to follow him.

She still gripped onto the small hope that whatever she'd done this week actually made a difference. They'd become close in such a small period of time. However, that wasn't too entirely unimaginable. They'd become close in the past in the long span of four years. They'd agreed to be married. Surely, even if he didn't know the truth yet, those feelings didn't just dissolve. She knew that to be true. It was only natural for him to feel something for her. The only thing that nagged at her like a jabbing kunai was the confusion she must be putting him through. At least she had the benefit of knowing why he made her feel as he did. The only torture _she_ was suffering was in not being able to tell him; to be close to him in a way she wanted to be.

It couldn't be avoided, no matter how she went about all of this. She'd become resolute to that point days ago. Even if this was a fight she had to brave through with barbs and cutting words she would endure it; for him.

At any rate, regardless of all that, last night had been a perfect way to end the week.

He'd ended up staying all night because they'd both fallen asleep on the couch. The only thing he'd left to her in the morning was a note on the coffee table apologizing for his abrupt departure. He'd written he hadn't wanted to wake her and apologized again because he had a mission that would keep him from Konoha for a few weeks. The only odd part about the letter were the final lines...

_"I need to sort some things out in my head. These next few weeks without you around might help me do that. I promise, when I return, I'll have some sort of reasoning behind everything I'm saying right now, which I'm quite sure makes no sense to you."_

He was right, it hadn't. Then again, that was Kakashi for you. Even in the past he could be completely confident and seem all knowing. Then, a second later give off the aura that he really had no idea what he was doing in the first place. At the very least, she supposed it kept his enemies on their toes.

She glanced up at the clock one more time and sighed, realizing, it was going to be the longest hour of her life...

ooo

In one swift, graceful movement a leather glove was pulled up to his bicep. Then another on the reverse hand. Deafening clicks were heard in the room as he snapped on the metal plated guards for his legs and forearms. A zipper snaked up to it's place hold on his side. The shink of metal against wood was a nearly deafening sound as he placed his short blade into it's holster on his back.

He straitened out the wrinkles in his pants and allowed his hands to form fists several times. He looked over in the tall mirror and pulled up on the hem of his mask. With that final piece in it's proper place he took a gander at his reflection.

How long had it been since he'd seen that sight? How long had it been since he'd felt the tightness of that uniform clinging to his body like a second skin from the waist up? How long had it been since he allowed himself to wear any part of it aside from his skin tight shirt? How long?

It felt like on yesterday that he was donning this same attire for his first S-class mission with Her; with Her smiling at his reflection over his shoulder, teasing him about how she adored a man in uniform...

_..._

_"It looks great on on you," a voice chided out from behind. "Are you sure that's the same boy in the mirror there whom I landed on his ass not very long ago? Because," she drawled as he turned, looking at her leaning into the frame of the door, her arms crossed over her chest with a smirk on her face and half lowered lids, "from here it looks like there's nothing left of that boy."_

_He smiled, chuckling. "You don't look so bad yourself." And she didn't, he realized. The violet-white of the armor hugged her like a second skin, as it did every shinobi. It probably helped she'd grown taller, more filled out and had only just begun to teeter on the edge of looking womanly. In a few years, he imagined, she'd only look better. And he further imagined, his feelings would only grow stronger as she did._

_He turned back to stare at his reflection in order to distract himself. Staring at Sakura for too long was never a good idea. At least not if he intended to keep his feelings trapped up. He blinked as he felt a chin on his shoulder and hands on his upper arms. He looked at her with both eyes wide, mismatched and uncovered._

_"You know," she whispered coyly, "I've always adored a man in uniform." Then she winked, patting his left arm. "Good thing for you I can restrain myself."_

_"Mmm.." he agreed with a murmur, slowly quelling the beating of his heart and rush in his veins. "Especially considering how many people run around here daily in this very uniform. Men at at that too."_

_Laughter followed shortly after, echoing blindingly in his ears like the song of a siren..._

_..._

Kakashi narrowed his eyes before swiping his old mask off the table next to him. Moments later his packed bag was hefted over his shoulders. He headed towards the door to his bedroom, but stopped short just before leaving. His left eye remained closed as he stared at the picture on the wall. Two long figures stood there. Both smiling into the camera, both relieved of their masks as they posed in the newly acquired uniforms. While the silver haired male's hung around his neck the female's was pulled up on her head and cocked to the side. Both of his eyes were closed as his arms crossed over his chest as they stood back to back. Her right hand was placed on her hip as her hand facing the camera was making the peace sign. Her eyes were shut too, in creased joy as she stuck out her tongue.

Kakashi's hand reached out, black covered digits caressing down the woman's image like a lover's whisper. He exhaled slowly. Whatever he was thinking was lost as he dropped his hand and left the room; the house and walked into the night.

ooo

Another individual was exhaling slowly, but in trepidation more than anything else. Her schooled features did not betray her storming insides. However, her eyes were another matter entirely. If you looked close enough, you could see the concern, worry and anticipation flowing there; swirling even.

She crouched low, waiting from her hiding place in the patch of thick bushes. It wouldn't be much longer now. Soon, he would be coming around the bend of the stony path she'd once waited for Sasuke at. Aside from the main strip, it was the only other way out of the village. This is where Minato had told her to meet him. It seemed only fitting, of course, as it had been the place where she had once relished the start of all her goals; and not just the ones in regards to her ebony haired team mate. No.. that goal was a distant memory in her fading past.

And if her dream the night before was any indication... she'd realized how fruitless it was in this reality as well long ago. No, it appeared no matter what happened, Sakura was meant to be with Kakashi.

She felt the change in the wind and temperature almost immediately. A hairsbreadth of a second later and he was standing there next to the bench. He was still just as fast as she remembered him to be. And he still made the uniform look like it was made for him and him alone, she thought with a smile.

She watched as he set down his pack on the bench and looked about, hands on his hips. It appeared he didn't know she was there yet. For that, she was glad. She needed another moment or two to collect her courage. She took in another deep breath, closed her eyes and stood up. She was still hidden in the shadows, but--she paused and went utterly still as he turned and looked right at her, one narrowed as the other remained closed.

"Are you coming out or not? This isn't the Academy, rookie. You're ANBU now. Leave the stealth moves for the mission and don't waste your chakra."

It was no or never, it seemed. And on a bad start at that. He didn't sound happy at all. With another deep inhale followed by a slow exhale she began to step out of the shadows. And as she did, his one visible eye grew wider and wider. If she wasn't so bloody nervous, she would have noticed how hard he swallowed and how his breath caught. But no, her gaze was diverted downward as he bit her lower lip.

"Sakura?" He whispered softly.

She looked up at him and for a moment she thought she saw something flicker in his eye. Some sort of recognition or... something she didn't know how to label. "Kakashi?"

However, whatever she'd thought she'd seen quickly vanished as his face turned hard. His eye narrowed and his glare was something she'd only seen him give to an enemy shinobi. It startled her so much she nearly took a step back in wide eyed fear.

"What kind of game are you two playing at?" He whispered harshly, cruelly and almost as if he were a cornered animal lashing out in desperation.

This is what she'd signed up for since the first night in the gazebo with him. This, she knew, was going to be the start of her real test in regards to Hatake Kakashi. A test that she knew would push all of their to edges of what they could both take.

Now, the real journey began.

She only hoped she was as ready for it as she'd once claimed.

Kami help her.


	43. Chapter 43

**..Chapter Forty-Three..**

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**..**

_Here I am, at the end of me_

_Tryin' to hold to what I can't see_

_I forgot how to hope_

_This night's been so long_

_I cling to Your promise_

_There will be a dawn_

**..**

**.**

The rush came shattering to a solid halt as all of his muscles tightened up and took to ceasing momentum. The fire he felt everytime he did that discharged and just... dissipated. He hadn't even made a sound; not even as he whole body came to a pause.

He exhaled slowly and allowed his form to relax. It'd been quite a while since he'd forced himself to that speed. It'd been a while since he'd wanted to. And from the looks of it, he noted as he glanced around, there was no need to worry about revealing anything about himself to his new charge too soon. They appeared to have not arrived yet.

He shook his head and reached for the pack on his back, setting it down on the bench. He had no idea how much longer he'd be here. For all he knew, they might have a habit of being as late as he generally was. He or she could have any number of habits he didn't know about. The smart thing, he now realized, would have been to ask Minato who he was spending the next year with on part time status. A bit late to change his mind though, huh? At least if he had a file to read over before meeting them he'd be somewhat prepared.

He jerked his his head around as a snap was heard from behind. His one open eye narrowed as he located the source of the noise. A shadow was in the brush about ten feet from him standing fully erect at a height that nearly matched his own. It was then he realized, as he saw the hint of lavender-white, that this must be who he was waiting for.

Gruffly, he muttered out, "Are you coming out or not? This isn't the Academy, rookie. You're ANBU now. Leave the stealth moves for the mission and don't waste your chakra." He really didn't care how harsh he sounded. If they wanted someone to blame they could very well blame Minato for forcing him into this position.

Kakashi hadn't really had any assumptions in regards to his new team mate. Because, really, no matter what he'd agreed to, he had no intention of fully accepting them as that in his mind. Minato might call them his partner, the mission roster might list them as a team, but to Kakashi it was just someone with the unfortunate luck of having ended up with him. Someone who likely had no clue as to what they were really getting into; what kind of storm they were stepping in the middle of. Someone who would never, ever, replace the beautiful, powerful and strong young woman he'd had the honor of fighting along side with for nearly four amazing years.

No, Kakashi had no assumptions aside from the ones that told him to pull up whatever wall he had firmly in place before everyone else that much higher in front of this person who was unknowingly treading on sacred ground. Yet... he did anything but pull up that wall as they came from the shadows. No, if anything, he felt it crack slightly, unwillingly.

His breath caught as the world around him turned to a haze. Lights scattered in his peripheral vision. Everything danced about him like a technicolor stream in a kaleidoscope. If it was a dream he didn't want to wake up. If his mind was really toying with him again he didn't want it to stop.

There She was, ambient in the light around Her. The glow of a streetlamp surrounded Her like a halo; like a beacon in his darkest hour, as he saw Her in brightest corners of his mind. He swallowed slowly as his sight remained fixed on Her.

"Sakura..?" He breathed out, whispered as his nerves stood on edge. And then, as She lifted Her head to look at him, emerald pools staring up at him, the memory, the dream peaked. All he saw was her, smiling in her new uniform; into the camera next to him.

"Kakashi?"

And then it was all gone. Anything he thought, anything he assumed, was lost. A slow and quiet rage like none he had ever known before crept along the base of his skull. It danced along his spine like dread. It moved, spanned and filled out every fiber of his being until all he could see was the pain. He couldn't see that she had nothing to do with what he'd seen before, what he wanted to see so badly his imagination had conjured it up in a way that would make him happy.

No, instead he just glared at her, even as she jumped in wide eyed fear. He'd never been so furious in his life, never so angry. He'd never wanted to physically _hurt_ someone so badly in all his existence. It took everything he had just to calm down. It took every bit of his sheer force of will to remain fixed where he was as his mind slowly started to shift back; as his heart rate slowly began to dim down.

And as this happened, a whole new feeling wedged itself into his heart: betrayal. He'd known Minato had been up to something when he's offered him ANBU. But whatever he'd thought up at the time, over the last week, didn't even come close to _this._ Especially when the woman before him had become something he hadn't altogether expected in that same amount of time.

"What kind of game are you two playing at?" His voice was hoarse, harsh and nothing but a mere whisper.

Sakura took a step back as he advanced on her slowly. She blinked up at him and her jaw set. Every nerve, every bone in her body, everything her teacher had ever instilled in her screamed out to fight back in some way. What was she _suppose_ to say?

"I-I-," she began, trying to quell her nerves. "Kakashi I--."

He interrupted her. "I mean, I knew when he hung that fuckin' scrap in front of my face he was up to something. But this? You? Do you have _any_ idea what you're doing; _who_ you're... _replacing_?" The final word was spat out at her. He shook his head, laughing bitterly as he ran a hand through his erratic strands of silver. "I should have known. I almost feel sorry for you. You probably had no idea what he was up to, no matter what I might have considered seconds ago... then again... who knows. Reality seems so frail these days..." His eyes shut tightly as he tried to force down the erratic beating of his heart and cries of his emotions.

"Minato had nothing do with my choice," she said sternly and reached for his upper arm. "I chose for you to be my sponsor, Kakashi. _I_ did." She almost flinched as he ripped away from her, as if she'd stung his skin. "I--!"

"No, don't," he muttered out. "You really are just as much as fault. At the very least for not telling me this entire time. For lying to me." His tone rose higher, yelling as he backed away from her. "Why didn't you just ask me? Why didn't you tell me? Months ago? A week ago even!" His arms expressed his feelings and tone with each and every break of a sentence.

Her jaw drew tight and she too tried to force down the beating of her heart. But she would not be bullied because he couldn't handle this. She'd made a vow to herself before she came here. A vow just as strong as the one she'd made to him. "I didn't tell you because I knew you'd react this way regardless!" She yelled back. "I had hoped, if I spent some time with you, got close to you in some way... I..."

"You _what_?" He seethed. "You hoped it might make the transition easier, sweetheart? You hoped you might have some cold chance in hell of filling that gap? Newsflash!" He spoke out in a still angered tone, lashed out like a knife. "No one will _ever_ be able to do that. That place, by my side," he said as he pointed to his chest, "That's _Her_ place. Not yours. Not anyone's. You will never again see another person walk the earth in your lifetime who was half the woman Kaioh Sakura was. _Never,_" he hissed out venomously.

He took a step forward, with no regard to personal pace and poked her in the chest, forcing her to walk back a few steps with the sheer force of it. "You might have her face, her voice, her eyes and even her damned hair--."

"That's not my fault!" She yelled back, feeling the need to defend herself once more.

"Shut up!" He retorted, fists at his sides. "Don't you think I know that? Better than anyone?" When she said nothing more he continued. "You might wear Her uniform. You might know some of Her techniques because _I_ taught them to you. But, no matter what I pretend to see or what you're trying to accomplish... no one... not even you... will _ever.._" he choked out, "be half the shinobi the woman I loved was..." The last of his words died down to a violent whisper of half desperation and he took a step back; as if trying to grasp at what dignity he had left.

All was silent for a long while after that. Nothing but the crickets and few stout chirping of birds in the distance echoed in the night. Their screams and yells were nothing but a memory in the aftermath of his pain. and Sakura didn't know he had been trying to convince her of something... or himself. But regardless, she wasn't giving up.

"I'm not trying to replace anyone," she bit out softly as her lips drew a flat line. "Quit being so fucking selfish," she ordered.

His eyes, both of them, flashed to her, open and ready to fight again. "Wh--."

"Shut up and sit down!" She yelled out, shoving him into the concrete bench to do as she'd ordered. Her eyes narrowed on his as she bent over him, hands on her hips. "I didn't join ANBU to hurt _you_. Minato didn't assign you as my sponsor because _he_ wanted to hurt you. I did this because I wanted it! I chose you because, yes," she laughed out sarcastically, "I do love you. Because as the years passed my admiration for you turned into something more. I chose you because I know you're more than capable of being by my side. Do you really think this is all about you? Do you really think so highly of yourself that it isn't possible to imagine for a moment that maybe, I'm sacrificing something myself by accepting you as _my_ partner? Well?"

When he didn't say anything she opted to continue, albeit this time with a less higher tone. "I doubt very seriously that you remember, Hatake, but I know because I do my research. Years ago, choosing your one year partner in ANBU was something each person did with careful consideration. Whomever you paired yourself with would have to be someone you not only trusted with your life, but someone you could depend on. All it took was one damned mistake," she snapped her fingers, "one slip up... and you could end up blaming yourself for decades over a death was no one's fault but your own." When she paused and he still didn't say anything she continued again.

"So, Hatake," she said harshly, crisply, "when I chose you, it wasn't because I was playing a game with Minato... it was because I don't mind placing my life," she whispered confidently, "in your hands." Sakura slowly stepped away from him and exhaled as she crossed her arms over her chest. After an admission like that, she wasn't sure what he would say. But it was all true, as true as it had been over fifteen years ago in a very different time.

She knew he'd be upset. She knew he would be mad. She knew he was going to lash out at her like he did. Maybe she hadn't expected it to go quite like this, but she knew the fight was still long from over. No matter what he ended up deciding tonight about the both of them he still wasn't going to do this willingly. No matter what Minato said.

"Fine," he ground out as he stood up. "I, at the very least, can respect someone who took the time to learn what being on the other side of this match up _use_ to mean." As her narrowed eyes turned to his, curious but cautious he continued. "That doesn't mean I accept you. _At all_," he went on quickly, sternly. "Don't take it personally, Sakura... I just..."

"I know," she whispered, her face softening as she turned her eyes from his. "It wouldn't matter if it was me or someone else. I was fully prepared for that when I came out here. Especially after what you told me last night." Her eyes narrowed a fraction more. "I told you... I'm not a child anymore. And I'm certainly not kidding myself, Kakashi. Anyone who did would be stupid. And that," she said strongly as she squared her shoulders, "is something I've never been."

"Yes," he replied with less hatred in his voice and more understanding. "I know." He turned around to his pack and began to open it.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't respond just yet as he pulled the thin, white box from his bag. He latched it shut and turned to her, shoving it into her hands. "Here. This is yours."

She blinked a few times, unsure as she stared down at the box. And then realization dawned on her. "Is this...?"

He nodded. "Your mask. I picked it up earlier today. But, to be honest, I haven't looked at it yet." He shrugged. "When the teams once consisted of two new recruits fresh for the field they use to--."

"Exchange the masks," she finished with a smile as she stared down at the box. "I know." When he didn't say anything else she reached for the edge of the lid and slowly opened it. The top was placed under the box as she pulled back the white, protective tissue paper. And there... nestled in the comfort of it's cardboard container... was something that made her breath catch.

The box dropped to the ground with a clatter as she took out the mask. There, scattered across the cover of the piece were a flourish of reddish-pink cherry blossoms. There was no mouth, much like Haku's had once had none. Only two eye holes. And at the top, in the center of the forehead was the Leaf symbol.

Her old mask.

An exact replica of the one in her bag back home.

She looked up to see Kakashi's reaction. However, whatever he felt over the result was hidden behind a cool mask of indifference. She swallowed slowly and looked back at the porcelain piece.

"Your mask is designed in consideration of your code name," he said softly. "You should know yours already."

Sakura blinked up at him and realized he was asking her something. But she must have been taking too long to respond, because he said, "Well, what's yours?" Her mind drifted back...

_..._

_"Well, what's yours?" Sakura asked as she sat down next to him. "They say we have to tell them before we get our masks."_

_Kakashi nodded as he stared up at the clouds. "Yeah, apparently, whatever code name we choose helps them design the faces."_

_"Really?" She perked up, nibbling on a powdered doughnut. And then she frowned. "You still haven't answered my question."_

_"Which one?" He yawned out._

_She shoved him lightly. "The question about your code name. You've picked one right? We need to know by tonight. That's the deadline."_

_He shrugged. "I dunno, I was thinking something like... White Tiger..." When he heard laughter he turned on his side to face her and looked up from where he lay down in the grass. "What?" He grinned like a child. "Too much?"_

_She snorted. "A bit."_

_"Oh yeah, well, what about you, huh? If you think that's bad you must have thought of something better for yourself."_

_"Of course I did," she replied confidently before popping another doughnut in her mouth._

_"And?"_

_She rolled her eyes at his impatient nosiness. "If you must know... I was thinking about Lotus." At _his_ snort of laughter her gaze suddenly turned narrowed as she looked down and over at him. "What? Too much?" She mimicked. "Whatever, if you think you can do so much better then spit it out."_

_"Ha, fine. On one condition."_

_"Which is?"_

_"Whatever I pick you have to keep."_

_She arched a brow and thought it over. Her lips pursed as she tapped her chin. "Fine. But I get to choose yours under the same conditions. Deal?"_

_He took her offered hand and shook on it. "Deal. I get to go first though."_

_She rolled her eyes again. "Yeah yeah, just remember whatever you pick I'm still picking afterward. And you _have _to keep it."_

_He just smiled. "I'll call you..."_

_..._

"Cherry," she replied as the memory left her. Before he could manage any sort of reply she asked, "and yours?"

_..._

_Sakura stuck her tongue out a him. "I guess that's not so bad. But you know what I'm calling you?"_

_"Hm?"_

_..._

"Crow," his voice responded softly as the same memory left him him moments after her.


	44. Chapter 44

**..Chapter Forty-Four..**

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**AN :: **For this chapter I'm not including another letter. Sorry, Mateba! I know how you adore them! , I'll have one again soon! I promise!

Anyway, I wanted to address something that everyone has been bugging me about. But first, I want to thank you all for your wonderful reviews. Over 300! I never expected to get so many. And I never expected so many people to love this story as much as I have loved writing it. I know I've been dragging it on. And that's what I'm about to address.

I always liked to say the journey is much more fun than the destination. And for me, that's a huge part of this story. Watching their love grow in the past and watching it slowly bloom all over again in the 'present' really has me sighing in bliss. I know everyone want me to finish this up as soon as possible, and get to the good stuff, but I can't just yet. And certainly not because _I_ don't want to. But because I have a lot more story to deal out. This is a two part story. The only reason it's not split up into another story is because I couldn't think of another title! XD I'm so silly! Gomen!

Anyway, trust me when I say the path as well as the final destination will all be worth the wait. I so wanted to write their time in ANBU before, but couldn't because it wasn't entirely relevant at that point in the story. Now I can because I feel like it's needed in order for Kakashi to slowly realize some things, just as Minato said.

Don't hate me for forcing you all to hold your breath. Trust me, it's ok to inhale now and then! Anyway, enjoy this next chapter. Keep reading. And once again, thank you all. I couldn't have done it without you. Any of you.

**--Blade**

**P.S. - **The song from the last chapter is called 'Beauty From Pain' by Superchick. If any of you want to know the rest of them just send me a PM and I'll reply ASAP. -winks-

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Her emerald orbs were set on the darkness ahead of her, avoiding any and all obstacles as she shifted, lept, ran and glided through the night as though she were merely apart of it's all encompassing blackness. She could faintly see the outline of her partner in her peripheral vision, right next to her about twenty feet away. And he was moving at the same neck-breaking speed as she was. Everytime he changed direction slightly so did she. Everytime he moved a bit faster, she did so as well. She wasn't entirely sure if he was testing her, or merely trying to push her to the point of exhaustion. Maybe he was trying to get her to change her mind about all of this. Who knew. As she'd said before, _this was_ Hatake Kakashi she was thinking about. Sasuke himself had always a tendency to push her too much; but that wasn't on purpose. He just did it because that's how he was. But, that time was long gone. Sakura was no longer that girl. She would never again be left behind.

And if Kakashi thought traveling for hours on end strait into the night was going to shake her resolve or kill her limits he was in for one hell of a surprise. She was every bit that woman who'd once fought along his side, even if he didn't know it yet. And she was going to prove that she could do just as well as 'her' if it killed her. Whatever he assumed about her was going to be utterly blown out of the water as she proved with every action over the passing weeks that she could keep up with him, that she could meet him toe for toe and that she was more than worthy of being his team mate.

In truth, she was fighting against herself.

When she'd told him her code name and he'd given out his the look on his face was a mix of confusion, once again anger and what she suspected was a temptation to ask her to change it. Like she could! And he had to know that. Unlike when they'd both passed the test the first time you could no longer chose your code name. That now that became the Hokage's responsibility since ANBU were for the most part his personal soldiers to command. And, it seemed Minato wasn't budging on tradition, no matter what she had tried to tell him otherwise. He'd literally forced her to take her old code name; one Kakashi had given her.

But at least his reaction over _that_ hadn't been nearly as bad as it had been when he found out she would be the one working along side him. And to make matters worse he told her he wouldn't be going over the mission until after they were nearly to the border of Fire Country. Something about wasting enough time as it was. Who the hell did he think he was? Mission details were always given out before you left Konoha, not after. They'd...

She sighed and set her jaw. Of course, she was thinking he'd act just as they use to. He would read off the report and expect her to set the pace in the beginning. But she wasn't the team leader here, for one; not that she'd ever been with him since they'd always been one the same page and managed the duties equally. For two, he wasn't going to treat her the same way because as far as he was concerned she was encroaching on sacred memories. And to make matters worse, again, for him, he had to lead around a woman who, as afar as he could tell, was nothing but a replica; an after image.

"Don't fall behind!" His voice barked out at her much in the same way it had earlier; as it had over and over again.

Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Alright! That was it! She'd _had_ it. It was one thing to keep the mission details from her like a Genin wet behind the ears, to give the ridiculous order that they would have to travel until dawn at this rate and to treat her like a virus; even if she expected that last bit. And to be truthful, despite all she knew and he didn't, there was only so much a temper-driven student of Tsunade take before snapping. But it was another entirely to bark out orders like she had no idea what she was doing!

She _knew_ he was hurting. She knew the cause of his pain had a lot to do with something she had no control over. She understood what she had to endure at the beginning of this. She'd said so to herself many times.

But... for Kami's sake. Enough was enough!

If he wanted her to go faster, then by the gods, she fuckin' would! And if he hurt (physically) more over it because of it, so be it!

A burst of energy churned in her core and traveled down to her feet. It swirled and coursed like a rush; a river uncontainable. She focused it and it one, powerful climax she sent it outward, timed perfectly onto the next branch she lept off of. She spurred forward so suddenly the green and brown around her became a blur. She became one with the wind, the sounds and world around her. Her short strands danced behind her, slicking against her face as she pushed onward; hands and arms drawn back. With each step she felt each bough she stepped on break under contact. And after a while all she could do was smile, anger slowly leaving her in the rush she'd flushed through her system. But what what really got her going the most, truly?

Was the sight of Kakashi following in next to her.

Just as he always had.

She grinned over at him as he met her toe for toe, beat for beat, step for step. And for a while, she allowed herself think they were back, fifteen or more years ago, dancing the same tune as they had been. She allowed herself to think nothing had really changed at all. So, as you can imagine, it was no real surprise, when she shouted to him. "First one to the border has to find breakfast!"

He blinked over at her, one good eye wide at her gamble. His lips pursed and he found himself replying, good naturedly. "You're on." But with barking laughter he found she must have been holding something back. Because shortly after he watched as all he could see of her after that was her backside, egging him on, telling him if he didn't hurry... much like someone else long ago... he was going to lose.

Still, he couldn't help but smirk as he drove onward.

Much like Sakura, he hated losing.

ooo

When they both stopped they were left panting, bent over, hands on their knees and damn near depleted of all chakra. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to goad him on like that, Sakura mused. But, at least she'd won. She couldn't help the smile that remained permanently fixed on her face. She was flushed, sweaty and in sore need of not only rest, but a bath. All would come later, she knew. But for now, she was happy. Unimaginably happy.

She laughed as she looked over at him, still bent over. "Got you," she manged out between pants.

"Hn," he muttered out, but smiled in return.

She chuckled and coughed at the same time. But no amount of winded activity could remove the grin from her features. "And we made it to the border in record time."

"Not that racing at breakneck speed was a great idea..." he managed. "When did you get so fast, by the way?"

"Probably when you were too busy with your nose stuck in a book to notice, Kakashi," she managed in return. "Maybe next time you'll know better than to push me so hard."

"Hm.." he said as he slowly straitened himself out. "Either way... it seems like because of our little race the rest of our journey will have to taken at a more even paced speed. No more bets," he muttered lastly as he dropped his bag to the ground with a thud.

She followed suit shortly after he did. "I won't argue with you on that note. It's going to take a few hours of sleep for me to get all that energy back."

"Really?" He tried to not sound too shocked as he pulled his bedroll out.

She sighed and shook her head as she mimicked his movements. Her gloved hands slid over the cotton of her sleeping bag as she pushed the wrinkles out. "How many times do I have to say it to you before it finally sinks in, hm? I'm not that girl anymore. I didn't survive six months of lock down because they were _easy_ on me. I certainly didn't graduate with any illusions of what this new transition in my career entailed... _captain._"

It was true, he realized. As much as the unit had changed, the process and hardships of actually passing successfully were very much still the same as they had been the day ANBU had first been organized. He didn't know why it was so hard to grasp, but seeing Sakura, the girl he'd first taken on as his student at twelve, as ANBU... well.. he just couldn't see it. He couldn't. And it wasn't just because she was the very image of his own love. It was Sakura, for Kami's sake. Blushing, giddy, easy to anger Sakura. The same girl that had spent more time hounding after Sasuke than was considered healthy for any young girl.

He looked over at her as she stood up. "Where are you going?"

"To gather firewood. It won't gather itself." She began to walk off.

She had to be in a lot of pain after a run like that. And here she was getting up moments later, pushing herself with little or no complaint, to do her share of the work. What had he expected? Her to whine like she had as a child? Complain and beg for him to do it?

"Sakura..." He called out softly.

"Hm?" She turned slightly, looking at him with one eye over her shoulder. "Yes?"

"What..." he began, his eyes narrowed in curiosity, "What rank did they graduate you at? What class, specifically?"

She smiled softly at that before replying. "I'm an ANBU Medical Nin, Kakashi." She took in a deep breath and quoted from the paperwork she'd signed for Minato. "As a medical agent in this unit it will be my duty to not only see to the welfare of my comrades and team mates, but to see to my own as well. I must take caution not to be harmed even in the line of fire, even in the face of the enemy, because my survival is the survival of my squad. My life is the very life of my team. My duty," she finished with confidence in her voice, "is to make sure very man and woman comes back home alive and well, with nothing less but the successful completion of any given mission." She paused as she finished and arched a brow. "Any more questions?"

"No," he said as he shook his head. "None at all. Thank you."

She nodded and without another word left into the woods around them.

Kakashi exhaled slowly as she finally dissapeared from sight. He continued to set up his place on the ground and set aside his pack. When they first started spending time together this week, he'd told himself it was apparent Sakura had quite a few secrets. How right he'd been then. But how misguided he'd been in knowing the real truth behind those words.

He moved to lay down for a while, hands behind his head to support it as he waited for her to return so he could go out and fetch them some sort of food.

She was a Medical Nin in ANBU. He didn't know why he was surprised really. She was Tsunade's apprentice. Her second coming next to another woman he knew. If anyone was going to pass the ANBU medical exam with flying colors it would be her. But, to go through all that training... it was different. It wasn't like being a normal medical nin. Being an ANBU Medical Agent meant so much more. Like she'd said, her life was important in order to ensure the success of any mission in this unit. And unlike being a normal medical shinobi you were expected so much more of. It was nothing for an agent to be seen patching someone up in the middle of a fight, kunais being hurled at them while they had to concentrate of mending a broken bone or a deep gash. They were forced in the lock down to do just that. Teachers would throw any number of weapons at them relentlessly while the patched up a dummy. And then entire time they had to not only concentrate on saving an injured comrade, keeping them alive, but staying alive themselves. He'd seen many a shinobi break down and give up during such sessions when he was in the very same lock down. It took a very special sort of ninja to take the damage, the stress, of being an ANBU Medical Nin.

His heart swelled with unexpected pride over her; knowing one of his students had come this far. But it wasn't just that. He didn't know what to peg it as... but it was there all the same, lingering. It was the same feeling he got earlier in the week when all these weird feelings in regards to his former student had started. And he still didn't know what to make of it. He'd hoped this mission, this time away from her, would give him the ability to sort it out. But, it was apparent that wasn't happening. Not with her lodged at his hip for the next few weeks.

What was Minato playing at? What was going through his mind when he'd agreed to make Sakura his partner? Was he trying to drive him madd? He'd known he'd been up to something when he offered him the deal he'd offered him. But after finding out who his partner was? Truth be told, he was left with even more questions than answers. Minato might be a sneaky bastard, but he wasn't cruel. So, whatever he meant by all of this had to have a good reason; not that he took the time to think about it. His sensei would never intentionally do harm to him emotionally or otherwise. But the real question was, after all, why?

His thoughts were interrupted by the clattering of wood on the ground next to him. He looked over as Sakura began to set the pile up.

"Mind starting this for me?"

He sat up and scooted over. After a few quick hand signs he expelled fire from his mouth and the stack of wood burst into flames. He watched as Sakura kept it going.

"Well, since I'm back, you can go now. I'll keep an eye on the camp, oh fearless leader," she said with a grin.

"Right... I'll be back in a few," he murmured and went off into the woods, intent on finding something for them both to replenish their strength with. Whatever Minato was trying to do, for now, he would just wait it out. As one good proverb boasted, to those who wait... all good things come.

ooo

An hour or so later, dark ever present, they had their breakfast. Both were munching down on the cooked fish as if it was their last meal; as if they hadn't eaten for weeks. And for two people who'd utterly relinquished all their chakra not too long ago, neither one was looking at the other as though they'd lost their mind and table manners. Er... campfire manners?

"That," Sakura got out as she swallowed her last bite, and dropped her stick, "was the best thing I've ever eaten. Either that, or I was just hungry."

Kakashi snorted. "Like either of us could tell, what with the way you practically inhaled it."

"Ha... you too," she muttered, smiling. "So, am I going to hear that mission breakdown? Or are you planning on keeping me in the dark until we reach our destination?"

"I was thinking about it," he said rather nonchalantly.

"Or, you could just tell me," she replied with a smirk. "Then again, I am enjoying the idea of pounding it out of you."

With a dramatic sigh he just reached for the scroll in his bag next to him. He flipped open a small pouch there and had it a moment later. As he unrolled it, he explained. "The mission details are scattered, to be truthful. All it says is were suppose to travel to Waterfall and--."

"The village there?" She interrupted.

He shook his head. "No, to the country capital. Apparently the former Daimyo died very suddenly in the night of unknown causes. His son, the current ruler, as requested an ANBU squad consisting of two shinobi for a very good price."

"Does it explain why?" She murmured, brow furrowing curiously.

"No, it doesn't," he muttered unhappily as he closed the scroll. "Whatever he wants from us, or expect from our team, I imagine he doesn't want to risk the information leaking out."

"Hm... you think it's an assassination mission?"

"Can you handle that?" He said back without missing a beat.

She frowned. "What do take me for?"

He frowned back. "I've never see you kill anyone before, Sakura. It's uncommon for a shinobi to get past or even into ANBU without at least one hit under his belt... but it's not unheard of."

There he went, underestimating her again, seeing her as a child or incompetent, incapable ninja. It could be concern, she supposed. But why was he asking her these things now? Why hadn't he acted this way towards her when they'd been together the entire week? Then he'd appeared to see her sense of adulthood with no problem at all.

But this wasn't her having fun with him. This wasn't a date. This was a mission. And S-class mission as ANBU. As people who very likely might have to kill someone. For that, she supposed she could see past his remark or his doubt. And she had to remind herself, she still had a long way to go in proving herself to him. Just because he was playing nice now did not mean he accepted her as a competent partner.

"Yes," she bit off coolly, "I have, if you must know. Several times. I know what blood looks like when it coats my hands not to heal, but to harm; to kill, _captain._"

"I'm not asking because I don't think you _can_ handle it, Sakura," he said back with a raised tone. "I asking because I need to know these things if we're going to work together."

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you actually trying to tell me you're starting to accept me as the other half of this squad?"

"No," he replied evenly.

She refused to show her disappointment over that admission. She knew better to expect results this soon. It wasn't impossible, but for now it was improbable. The odds were stacked against her; even if she was ready to knock a few down.

"But I am telling you to be prepared. Whatever we've got waiting on us in the next fifty miles or so I don't want to be picking up your slack the whole way. Understood?"

"Perfectly," she muttered before laying down, rolling over and beginning the short journey to sleep. If she didn't kill him before this was all over she was going to murder herself. All the constant nicks to her pride and ego over what he didn't think she was capable of was going to get old.

Fast.


	45. Chapter 45

**..Chapter Forty-Five..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_You found me_

_When no one else was lookin'_

_You found me_

_How did you know just_

_where I would be?_

_You broke through_

_All of my confusion_

_The ups and the downs_

_And you still didn't leave_

_I guess that you saw what_

_nobody could see_

_The good and the bad_

_And the things in between_

_You found me_

_You found me_

**..**

**.**

They'd awoken as comfortably rested as anyone could have from sleeping on the ground. Kakashi had been true to his word when he said the rest of the journey from the border would be taken at a slow progress. Their pace wasn't as quick as it had been last night but it wasn't slow either. If one could call it anything one might call it an even speed.

Sakura knew he still wasn't accepting her, but she was grateful that he wasn't trying to push her buttons for the moment. She suspected the only reason he wasn't goading her on or pushing her as he had last night was one of two things. A) He didn't want to deal with her reaction considering how his go at it last night had turned out or B) he was too tired to care. She would have liked to think it was the first, but she had a feeling it was the latter.

Before they had actually left that afternoon they had both opted to don their masks. Regardless of who they were meeting with, going about in full armor and no mask was just asking for trouble. It was one thing to walk around Konoha like that, Fire Country even. It was another matter entirely to walk around another country, city bursting with people, like that.

The feeling that swept her over seeing him in his old mask was something she simply could not suppress. She'd assumed seeing him in his uniform had been the end of that feeling.

Apparently, she'd been wrong.

The coloring was as white as any she'd seen before and much like her own there were two eye slits angled at a downward direction. But the difference between his and most others was the long and jutting beak that came out at a slight arch and dropped low to a point. There was also a thick strip of black coloring across the eyes. She wouldn't call it an exact replication, but it did give off the same sneaky feeling of a crow.

As they got closer and closer to the end of their long trek she began to notice the change in the scenery. In Fire Country the landscape was ridden in oaks trees, weeping willows and birch. In Sand there were very few trees to be seen, much less a bush or two. The most you saw there as far as green went were cacti. However as they drew closer and closer to the center point of Waterfall City everything became much more tropical. It was nothing like Mist either. In Mist you saw swamps. Here... here was a vast arrangement of palms, palmettos and all sorts of flowers and fruits she could never name in one sitting. She couldn't even begin to discern their names.

As she continued to take all of this in something else swept her in a awe-struck sort of shock. Both her and Kakashi pushed past the encompassing thick brush, curling vines and stopped at the edge of the tall beginnings of a stony path where the dirt path stopped.

The sound hit her before the visual did. The rush of water, the smells of sweet, clear air and crisp aqua assailed her senses. It was all so real, so striking in those senses that she forgot to look. But once her eyes did grasp at the image before her... both her and Kakashi took a deep inhale.

It was breathtaking.

She had assumed the name Waterfall City was just that--a name. She never in her wildest dreams ever imagined it looked anything like this. The falls started off at the top and cascaded downward like stepping stones. In the distance was the mountainous terrain that made up Earth Country in the far distance. And in the center of all this, the falls rushing around it, through it like it was made for the environment it settled itself into was the city itself.

Spiraling tops glittered in silver and umber reached out to her like twinkling stars in the dusk of the departing daylight. As the light of the sun did venture downward several misty outbursts of water from the falls created rainbows. In truth, it looked altogether magical. It looked to be a hidden city nestled in the clouds. She'd never been to Cloud... but she doubted it matched up to this. She doubted anything would ever top this for her in the sightseeing department.

She blinked as someone nudged her side and looked over at Kakashi.

"Time to go. We still need to meet with the Daiymo before dark. Or at least let him know we've arrived."

Sakura nodded.

The rest of the way through the gates went rather anticlimactically. But Sakura did note how much Kakashi was taking everything in, even behind the cover of his mask. She smiled. "Quite a sight hm?"

"Yes."

She couldn't blame him. Despite not knowing much about the breathtaking visual she'd just partaken of, there was much else she did know about Waterfall City. And she was not at all shocked to see so many people walking around half naked in lovely silks of various colors and decoration.

"How can they afford all this?" He murmured. "I was always told Waterfall Village suffered a lot in the funding department. How can a city located in the same territory do so well for itself in such a small country?"

She looked over at him and adjusted her pack with both hands. "Well, Waterfall City is one of the biggest exporters of a special kind of silk. All you see the people garbed in and using will be local wears they toil themselves and make from the land. In truth, they aren't very wealthy at all. They just lucked out in what was immediately available to them." She shrugged. "They aren't doing badly though. Not as good as Fire Country; but still well enough."

Kakashi nodded as they neared the palace. Unlike the rest of the city, the palace was completely encompassed by tall white walls and large gates. Guards stood at attention with long pole arms. One of the them came forward as they stopped at the gate's entrance and asked they state their business. It only took Kakashi flashing the man his mission scroll and they were escorted in.

The palace wasn't really that different from any other Japanese style palaces she'd seen. And it was nothing as awe-striking as the outside of the city itself. She took little notice of anything else aside what was natural for her as a high ranking shinobi.

They walked the long wooden hallways with the guard they were eventually handed off to another man in blue robes. Little was said other than that he would show them to a room where they could wait to meet the Daimyo. When they finally made it there and the door was shut behind them both her and Kakashi they set down their packs and took a seat in two of the many chairs surrounding the long table at one end.

Moments later the Daimyo walked in. Both she and Kakashi stood up out of respect and bowed.

The young man smiled kindly at them after bowing himself. He took a seat across from them and spoke quickly. "Please, sit down. I trust your journey was a pleasant one?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yes, thank you, Dai-sama." He sat down slowly and only after the feudal lord had done so himself. "I hope we have not kept you waiting too long."

"Not at all," he beamed at them.

Sakura remained silent as she watched the young man before her. He was garbed in what one might expect from a man in a high ranking royal status. Long silken blue robes a grade or two higher than what she'd seen people wearing outside fit him as if they were made for him. He was young, much younger than she's anticipated. If she were to guess she's say about fifteen or sixteen. His eyes were as youthful as his soft, unmarred face and as kind as his lovely smile. What could this boy want with them?

"I can only assume you've been wondering why I've asked for such highly qualified ninja," he said softly.

"Yes, as it's not often our Hokage sends out a team without knowing what they're going to be getting into, My Lord," Kakashi admitted respectfully as several servants let themselves into the room and began to set glasses before them and pour their drinks. He ignored them as he wouldn't be drinking or eating until both he and Sakura were in the privacy of their own rooms.

He noted it wasn't until the servants left the room Dai replied, and quietly at that.

The boy-lord sighed and interlaced his fingers together before him. He looked incredibly distressed. "I'm sure you're aware of my father's sudden death."

"We are," Kakashi said.

"Our condolences, My Lord," Sakura added.

"Thank you..." He reached for a name, hanging.

"Cherry, My Lord. We ANBU go only by code names outside of our village in order to protect our identities." She smiled.

He smiled in return before taking a sip of his drink. "Well, thank you anyway. I'm sure you won't blame me if I prefer to call you Lady Blossom."

Sakura laughed. "Not at all, My Lord."

"You were saying, Dai-sama?" Kakashi encouraged him to continue.

"Ah yes, the mission. Well," he sighed again, looking more serious than a moment ago. "My father was not a young man when he died. But he was not a feeble man by any means either. His death was unexpected by all who knew him. And quite frankly, I suspect there was foul play involved."

Kakashi's eye narrowed behind his mask as he leaned forward. "I can see this is something you would like to remain confidential, My Lord? Is this why the details were not explained in the mission request?"

The feudal lord nodded. "Quite." He shifted in his seat and looked about, as if waiting for someone to burst in the room at any moment and hear what he was about to tell them. "There are very few people left in the palace I can trust anymore. And those I can trust I'm not very sure of as it is. My uncle," he went on, "Lord Setsuna, has been acting very strangely since the birth of his son. For a while, it wasn't enough to convince me of anything, much less the murder of my father. But," he lowered his voice, locking his gaze with Kakashi's, "just a few days ago, after the funeral of my father, he made a formal claim before the high council at my coronation. He demanded to be named feudal lord instead of myself."

"Why?" Sakura asked curiously.

"His reasons were valid ones to men around me at the time," he replied. "He said I was too young, too inexperienced and he felt I needed a few more years before leading our country. He wishes to rule in my place until my twenty-first birthday."

"So," Kakashi said coolly, naturally, "what are you wanting us to do exactly? Assassinate him?"

Dai shook his head. "Not exactly. You see, I believe he doesn't just want me withdraw from the throne. I suspect he wants to kill me just as I think he killed my father and place his son as the next in line. In retaliation to his demands I did the only thing I could. I challenged him to _Decerto Ter Duo_."

Kakashi blinked. He had no idea what the boy had just said. What was that language? It wasn't Japanese, that was for damn sure. It sounded familiar, but he just couldn't place it's origin.

"Does that translate to... A fight to the finish two battles..?" Sakura edged. "My latin isn't as good as it should be... but I'm not too far off right?"

"You couldn't be much closer, Lady Blossom," Dai replied. "It a long standing tradition in my family. It's been about since the beginning of the rulership. Any man of royal blood who wishes to challenge the Daiymo's place for leadership may. And only with a good standing reason. But it hasn't been called on in over a hundred years."

"So," Kakashi began as it all sunk in. "You want us to fight for you?"

Dai nodded. "Yes, very much. To be honest, I wasn't going to hire anyone to help me. Not anyone of your caliber, of course. But when I got word of my uncle's plans to use ninja from Mist I could do nothing less. You see," he explained, "we here in Waterfall City have become pacifists as the years moved by. Our battles are generally avoided with good diplomacy or fought by the men in our army. There has been no need for the royal houses to learn any such skills."

"Alright," Sakura nodded, thinking that sounded reasonable enough. That was their job as shinobi after all; to fight for those who could not. But something else was nagging at her. "What about the death of your father? If you really do think your uncle had a hand in it, why not have him investigated?"

"That's the other half of this mission," he drawled unhappily. "I can't very well accuse my uncle of murder. He is still a royal member of the main branch house. No," he stated more strongly, "if I want to bring him to trial I'll need evidence."

"To sum it up, you want us to fight this match for you and somehow try to prove your uncle is the one who murdered your father?" Kakashi concluded with a wave of his hand.

"Yes," Dai replied.

"Easy enough," Sakura allowed as she looked over at her partner. "Walk in the park, right? We've dealt with Mist before."

"There's still more," Dai interrupted quietly before Kakashi could agree. "I'm not sure what you two are use to as I'm not familiar with the ways of a shinobi, but the battle your going to be in, the tournament is not just a series of fights."

"Explain," Kakashi nearly ordered.

If it was disrespectful Dai did not seem to notice. Instead he did just as Kakashi requested. "As the challenger I don't get to choose what is done. One specification that must remain is the fact that it is at least two parts; two matches." He held up a finger and went on as he looked between the two of them. "And the rules are clear as well. Even if one of you dies or both of you, the two parts must follow into completion; even if I have to select other people in either one of your steads or both. And the only way a win can be determined is if you win both parts."

"And if we win one and they win one as well?" Kakashi arched a brow as he spoke.

"Then the fight goes into a third and final bout. And only the victors of that match win the tournament."

"So, in other words," Sakura drawled, "don't die." she chuckled softly. "Well, that doesn't sound all too different from what we do on a daily basis, right, Crow?"

"Hm.." He agreed thoughtfully. "Is there anything else you can tell us?"

Dai shook his head. "No, sadly not. At least other than that your first match begins tomorrow at noon. I would suggest making sure you're fully prepared for it. Lord Setsuna is know for being disturbingly devious."

"Then you won't mind if we retire for the evening, My Lord?" Kakashi requested.

"No, I'd prefer you got all the rest you can manage. Shall I have two rooms or one made for you?" He moved to stand.

"Tw--."

"One, please," Sakura pipped up.

Kakashi swung around to look at her. If one were to see beyond the mask they would see just how damned shocked he looked. Why in the hell was she asking for one room? He turned his gaze back to the feudal lord. "Excuse us a moment." Then he reached for Sakura's upper arm and practically drug her to the other corner of the room.

"One room? Really?"

She pulled her arm from his grasp and narrowed her eyes on him; not that he could see that. "I should ask you the same thing. Two? Did you hear what he just said? Even the Daimyo doesn't trust his own people. For all we know his uncle could be trying to find a way to send those two Mist nin out in the night to take us out in our sleep. No, if I have any chance of getting a good night's rest I'm not doing it alone."

"You're afraid?" He murmured in disbelief.

"Hardly," she retorted. "I'm just being cautious. If anything does slip up on us in the middle of the night it's better if we're together than apart. But, if it makes you feel any better we can request separate beds. I certainly wouldn't want to tarnish your delicate sensibilities."

He glared at her, hands on his hips. He could tell she was challenging him. "And here I was thinking about yours," he snapped and turned around. He walked back to the Daimyo and spoke quickly. "One will be fine, My Lord."

"Should I call for another bed--."

"No," he stated before the man could finish. "One bed will do. We wouldn't want to inconvenience you or your people. Not when we're here at your request. Right, _Cherry_?" He said the last bit as he looked over at her returning to his side.

"Right," she responded tightly, thinking it was going to be long night.

ooo

Whatever angst or anger that had wrapped it's way around her system over Kakashi's snappish behavior left her the moment they stepped into their room. The first thing she caught sight of was the long panoramic window on the other end of the room with indented seating showing the breathtaking view of the falls. And her bliss only continued as she heard the door close behind her and spied the large cushy four poster bed. Her mask was tossed aside into a chair and her pack was dropped to the floor as she dove at it. "Oh... I could get use to these kinds of missions," she breathed into the comforter. "If we didn't have to kick ass tomorrow I'd say this was a set up." She moaned blissfully as the scent of roses meandered up her nose from the pillows.

Kakashi only smirked as he pulled off his mask as well. "You want me to order dinner?" He motioned to the phone on the table next to him as he took a seat in another free chair. He dropped his pack and began to pull of his sandals.

"Would you?" She perked up. "I'd love to go get a shower and get out of these clothes for a while."

He nodded as he started to work on his shin wraps.

Moments later he barely registered the blur of pink, lavender-white and black as she dashed for the door across the room from the bed. He looked up, pausing as her clothes were tossed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. He shook his head as a pair of panties and a pink bra landed on top of the pile.

He reached for the phone just as soon as he got comfortable and asked that dinner be sent up to their room. After that he reached into his pack for several items. One was a worn leather journal, a pen and two small scrolls. He set the journal aside, his fingers brushing the pink bits of hair he used for a book mark before he took up on of the scrolls. He unraveled it and began to scratch out a quick message. Once this was done he wrapped it back up and sealed it with a quick jutsu. The other scroll was picked up as the former was laid down on the table.

This one he unrolled with a little flare, bit his finger and trailed a stream of blood across it's white parchement. A series of hand signs were preformed and in a flash of smoke he was done.

He smiled as the smoke cleared and a familiar face looked up at him. "Pakkun, good to see you."

The little brown pug just looked up at him lazily. He was garbed in the same knowing blue vest and leaf headband as usual. The only difference in his attire was the new little pack on his back. "What do you need?"

"Glad to see you haven't changed much. Right to point. Well, I need you to take this," he grabbed for the scroll on the table and stuck it in his pack, "to the flight birds in the city. Minato wanted me to tell him as soon as possible when we arrived. Any cost should be covered by the Daimyo."

"Alright, anything--." He paused and took a few deep inhales of the air about him, questions ridding across his face. He paused again and looked quite curious about something; like he wasn't sure if what he was mselling was real. In a quick flash a second or two later he was up on the table and sniffing at his bookmark in his journal. "What's that?"

"The book?"

"No, Kakashi, the bookmark. What's it made of?"

Kakashi arched a brow and reached over. He opened the book and pulled out the thin piece of braided hair with a sigh. "I piece of Her hair. While we were in lock down it grew out. She always kept it short, but there was little time for vanities then. Anyway," he said in soft disinterest, like usual, "when we went on our first mission it was cut by a flying shirikin. I kept some of it and packed it away. It wasn't until before the start of this mission I pulled it out and decided to use it as a bookmark." He looked up from the braided bit to Pakkun as he set it down on the open journal. "Why?"

"Hm..." The little dog murmured out. He didn't really reply as he jumped off the table and sniffed all around the room. Kakashi watched him but didn't prod. The little mutt just kept wandering about, sniffing. But, he paused as he reached the stack of clothes just outside the closed bathroom door.

"Who's are these?" He asked.

"Sakura's," he replied, still trying to discern what the dog was doing; trying to figure out.

Pakkun began to dig through the clothes until his mouth clamped down on something Kakashi couldn't see just yet. What he drug over was Sakura's ANBU sleeveless top. He jumped back onto the table and dropped it down. "That,' he motioned to the piece of clothing, "has the same smell as," he motioned to the braid in his journal, "that."


	46. Chapter 46

**..Chapter Forty-Five..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_10th Year_

_Day 31_

_Time, 0800 hours_

_Cherry,_

_Pissed doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how I feel right. Angry is an understatement. After nearly twelve long years in the unit Minato pulls me off. Do you have any idea how I feel right now? I'm sure you would if you were here. God.... damnit! _

_Do you know what he told me? I was taking to many risks; that my medical files for the last year fill an entire three-drawer cabinet. Isn't that what I'm suppose to do? Isn't that apart of the job risk? I know that. I signed the paperwork that said as much._

_You know what? Maybe I'm not really pissed off at him at all. Maybe I'm just mad at myself. Or maybe, in a small way, I'm mad at you. Ten years? Really? Why? What the hell are you doing out there? Did it really ever have anything to do with the war in the first place?_

_No... I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at myself. I'm just so bloody _angry_ all the _time_. And at anything at that. I try to hide it... I so do..._

_Hell... Maybe that's what I'm trying to do... kill myself. Minato always said I was too fucking stubborn to to give up on my own; that if I wanted to end it so badly I would do so in field. And like hell, he tells me, I'd do it without a fight._

_Who am I really fighting here? A ghost? Myself? You? Memories? _

_If I'm not trying to drill the pain out of myself with physical blows, Kami knows I do it with words. I'm like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. And I'm just waiting for it to happen. I'm waiting for someone to say the wrong thing and... just snap. I'm on that hard edge all the time. Am I madd?_

_Come home..._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

"What?" He stammered out. "What did you just say?" He slowly stood, chair scraping the floor below him as he stared down at the little dog.

"I said--."

"Kakashi! Are you alright? Is someone in there?" Sakura's voice called from the bathroom.

His head snapped up to the bathroom door and his gaze narrowed. "No," he called back. "It's just Pakkun. I'll... I'll be right back, Sakura. If someone knocks it's dinner."

"Alright!" She yelled in return. "Don't be too long. I dislike eating alone."

Without another word Kakashi was grabbing her ANBU top, Pakkun and the braid of hair. He snapped his book shut, replaced his mask and dashed out the door of their room like a man possessed.

"Kaka--."

"Shut up." He rounded a corner and grabbed at a door with a bathroom symbol on it. It was obviously used for the servants of the household. He shut it behind him, flipped on the light and locked the door. A second later he set the little dog down on the counter along with the other two items.

"Now," he snapped out not only in barely checked anger, but in something else he couldn't place. "Run that by me again?"

Pakkun sighed and sat down on the counter. "I said, the hair remnants on this top," he pointed as he spoke, "and the braid you keep are one and the same. My nose is never wrong."

He swallowed slowly and tried to calm the erratic beatings of his heart. "Are you trying to suggest that the woman in there is one and same with Kaioh Sakura? Because, have you looked at her?" He snapped out, visibly angered at the very idea his little friend might be playing a joke on him.

"Hey, now," the little dog grouched out, snapping back. "Don't get lippy with me. None of this is my fault. I'm just stating the facts."

"Then your facts are wrong...!" He ran a ragged hand through his short strands as he pulled off the mask and gripped it tightly in his free hand. He had to be losing his mind finally. That had to be it.

"My nose is never wrong, Kakashi. _Never_." The dog said sternly. "However..."

"Yes?"

He sighed. "Even I certainly don't think she's the same woman. We're talking about a large age difference. That, and you've known her since she was twelve."

"How is _that_ helping me? All you're doing is telling me things I already knew."

"You really are a pain when your pissed," he grumped out. But at Kakashi's hateful glare he went on. "Alright, alright, geeze. I do have one idea."

"Which is?" He turned, fully facing the dog again; mask still shaking in his hand.

"Orochimaru was well known for doing... how shall we say... unorthodox things?"

"Yes... why?"

"Well..." he began slowly, cautiously. "We all know how many failed experiments he had go wrong. How many plots he began and gave up on half way, right?"

"If Tenzou-sama is any indication, then yes. What's you're point, mutt?"

Pakkun sighed again, shaking his head in frustration. "You know, for being one of the smartest shinobi Konoha has to offer, you're pretty fucking stupid. What I'm trying to say is," he went on quickly before his master blew a gasket over his sharp tongue, "perhaps Sakura is yet another one of those experiments long forgotten. It's perfectly plausible, considering Tenzou. After he was recovered all of his records were sealed and hidden in the farthest reaches of Konoha's Tower Walls; not to mention a half dozen other kids who were taken to the orphanage in Leaf."

Kakashi swallowed as he felt his nerves settle slightly. "Do you think... that's what happened to Her? Do you think Orochimaru found out about us and got Her? Do you think..."

"Now now..." Pakkun went on. "Let's not jump to any conclusions here. I'm not saying _anyone's_ dead. What I am saying is maybe the snake got a hold of some of her DNA and made a clone of _your_ Cherry. There's no telling what kind of forbidden jutsus he was able to do at the time. His lust for power was unmeasurable. But," he explained sternly, trying to make himself clear, "it's entirely possible, knowing how close you are to Minato, that he wanted to use the girl against the Hokage. Maybe it never worked out and he abandoned her. And then, somehow, maybe she ended up in Konoha. You know?"

"Maybe..." he whispered with a narrowed eye, no longer looking at the nin dog. "It certainly explains a lot... that's for sure." His mind kept working on overdrive. He was no longer shaking and no longer looked on the edge of losing his mind as more questions ran rampant about it. There were only so many things a man could stand to question without answers. Now that he had his senses back he knew what he had to do. His gaze suddenly snapped down to Pakkun. "I changed my mind. I don't want you to take that letter to the flight birds."

"You don't?"

"No, I want you to take it all the way to Konoha. Give Minato the letter yourself." Kakashi ignored his protests and reached for a piece of hair off the shirt on the counter. He dug into his back pouch and pulled out a small leather bag. There, he placed his team mate's strand into it. Next, he stuffed the braid into the dog's pack along with the leather sealed pouch.

"I don't care how you do it or what rules you have to break. Don't tell anyone. Just find out if Sakura was adopted. Check her records. Get DNA samples from her parents. I want it _confirmed_."

"Alright, Kakashi," the dog agreed as he jumped down off the counter. "It might take me a few days."

"I know that," he replied as he replaced the mask. "Just do it as quickly as you can." As his hand rested on the door knob to the bathroom he paused when Pakkun spoke up.

"Kakashi..." he said cautiously, looking up at him from the floor, "what are you going to do if it turns out Sakura isn't adopted...?"

Kakashi just swallowed, pausing long enough to push anything about it downward. "I won't worry about that until I have to cross that bridge. If you're right, I won't need to." Before the dog could ask another thing he opened to the door and stalked down the hall and back to his room.

Pakkun had to be right. Because if he wasn't... Well, like he told the dog. He didn't want to think about it. For the sake of his sanity he _wouldn't_.

ooo

Sakura pushed around the food on her plate with a set of chopsticks grasped delicately in her hand as she looked around the room. Everything was very ambient with a mixture of both modern and old world tastes mixed in. The lighting for one was not powered by a power plant of normal means. No, instead, the soft glow from the bulbs in the room were powered by the falls. Hydroelectricity was an amazing thing, she'd learned. The whole city ran on it. Even the water from the bathroom came from the falls. If one really wanted to think about it, living in the middle of a giant pit made by mother nature was a fantastic idea.

Still, even all these thoughts rummaging about her head couldn't keep her from noticing Kakashi's silence. He'd hardly eaten much more than a few bites. And ever since he'd spoken with Pakkun and sent him to take their 'hey, we're ok' letter to Konoha he'd been that way. If she wanted to call it anything she'd say he looked downright distracted.

Her lips pursed as she stopped moving her chopsticks. If she mixed her food much more it'd be goo. She sighed and set them down. "Kakashi, are you alright?"

The man in question blinked. "What?" He said suddenly. "I'm sorry," he apologized softly, "I didn't hear you."

She sighed again, this time frustration evident in her voice. Her elbow moved to rest on the table as her chin settled into her open palm. "I asked if you were alright. You've looked pretty distracted ever since I got out of the shower and changed into another uniform."

"Ah," he replied and sat up more comfortably in his chair adjacent to her at the small square table. "I'm sorry. I guess I have a lot on my mind."

"You wanna talk about it?" she asked softly.

"No..." he replied back slowly. "Not now. Maybe later." He idly waved his hand for her not to worry about it as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Alright," she said with obvious worry in her voice as she stood and took their plates. "I'm going to place these on the cart outside our door and change into a pair of pj's." Kakashi's was stacked on top of hers and both chopstick sets were placed on top of that. Sakura reached for her mask and put it over her face before stepping out of the room and putting the dirty dishes on the silver cart. Moments later she was striding back into the room and once more taking off her mask. Sometimes she really wished ANBU wasn't such a dirty job to require them to hide identities.

"Sakura?"

She stopped just as she was about to pass by Kakashi and arched a brow. "Yes?"

"What do your parents look like?"

She blinked at him. That was a fairly sudden question. It wasn't exactly something she expected either. Ever since they'd been on this mission he'd been all about business; hot and cold. One minute he was smiling at her and the next snapping, like he couldn't figure out what he wanted.

Then again, considering all that, maybe the question wasn't out of this world. She smiled. "Do you want me to show you? I have a picture." Before he could reply she dropped her mask on the nightstand next to the bed and reached for her pack not too far away. She pulled a small photo from a pocket there. Seconds later she came back to the table and handed him the picture. "This was taken a year after they got married. They were celebrating their first anniversary." She grinned down at the two people in the image over his shoulder.

Her mother had long, dark brown hair that went to nearly her waist. In the photo she had it braided. Her eyes were a chocolate brown and danced with all the happiness one could express on such a special occasion. Her father's hair was trimmed at just his shoulders, but pulled back in a ponytail at the base of his neck. The color was a rich ebony and his eyes, like her mother's, matched his hair.

She glanced over at Kakashi and could see his curious expression. She knew that look; it was one she got often anytime anyone met her parents, or saw that photo. "I know, I look nothing like them. Everyone says so. Crazy, huh? Actually," Sakura grumbled out, "I don't look a thing like any of my relatives. My father tells me I did have a great grandmother with pink hair a long time ago, generations back in the family; but I think he was just saying to make me feel better."

"No, I think you have your mother's smile," he offered softly, distractedly.

Sakura didn't appear to notice as she took back the photo and walked across the room. "Really? I guess I have _something_ then." She chuckled as she put it back into the pack's pocket. "Well, I'm going to go change."

She pulled a set of clothes from her bag and went into the bathroom. It was only a few minutes later she was emerging, long T-shirt over her hourglass figure. It reached to the middle of her thighs.

She found Kakashi had already stripped down to nothing put a pair of boxer shorts and his ANBU top. She almost wanted to roll her eyes at his continuation over hiding his face. However, he wouldn't know she knew why he did kept it on. He wasn't hiding anything other than his own emotions. Which, if one cared to look close enough, one would see each and every one he expressed on a daily basis even with the covering on.

"I'm going to take the floor," he suddenly announced.

Sakura arched a brow as she turned down the sheet and comforter. She began to fluff the pillows as she responded. "No you're not."

He arched a brow in return, hands on his hips. "Should I even bother asking why?"

She really did roll her eyes this time. "Like I told you before, we have no idea who we can trust around here. And it's still very possible his uncle will send those Mist nin after us in our sleep. But, if it makes you feel any better, when Naruto, Sasuke and I have went on missions alone we also sleep together. It not a matter of propriety, Kakashi. It's a matter of safety. We're a much greater force to be dealt with together than we are apart. If you really need anymore evidence, I can name countless times when me and one of the guys have been in the same sleeping situation together, when, if we weren't, we would have been killed."

He didn't say anything to that, but she could tell he was thinking it over. After a long moment he finally replied. "Explain to me exactly how sleeping so close together will keep us any safer?"

If he actually thought about it, as obvious as it was, he'd see. But she knew he was trying to find a way out of it. He simply did not like the idea of sleeping so close to her. It was a very intimate situation.

"Well," she began calmly as she finished fluffy her side of the bed, "for instance, if someone comes in the room and I'm in the bed and you're in the chair or on the floor far from me, if they do have the skills to sneak up on me.. by the time they get to me it'll be too late for you to do anything. And vise versa. However," she continued, "if we sleep in the same bed, the chances become that much less likely. Not only will the enemy have avoid waking me up, but you as well."

He blinked. "We'd have to be right on top of one another to avoid something like that. Spooning even."

"Well... yeah," she nearly laughed out, but smiled instead. "Sasuke and I have done it quite a bit. So have Naruto and I. I can tell you we've woken up pretty entangled, but it kept us alive. And it brought us closer together as team." She narrowed her eyes. "What's the problem? do you think I'm going to try and molest you in your sleep? I'm not a naivete, Kakashi. I won't freak out if I wake up with you hands all over my breasts. It certainly wouldn't be the first time it's happened when I slept with a team mate." She shook her head.

"You have to do these things as a shinobi. There's no place in this career for those with any sort ideas in regards to being compromised physically. Ninja get raped on missions all the time. I've taught a few courses on how to deal with it before and afterward."

He just gaped at her. "How can you be so...."

"Mechanical?"

"Yes," he blurted out. "You're acting like there's nothing wrong with it. You're rationalizing it like a--."

"A doctor?" She chuckled. "Maybe that's because I am one. I'm also ANBU. Just like you. And with that comes some sacrifices." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Have you never slept with a team mate before on a mission of this nature?"

"...Yes."

"Alright, there you have it. This shouldn't be a problem then."

He shook his head. "That was different. I..."

Sakura just slid in between the sheets and remained sitting up. "I know. I get it. I'm not Her and I never will be. I told you I had no illusions about that. If it makes you feel more comfortable you don't have to touch me. We just need to be close to one another."

Finally, seeing as there was no other way of convincing her, and realizing in all truth he was just acting like a green shinobi arguing in the first place, he just nodded. Sure, he didn't like the idea that he had to do this. He understood why he had to. Shinobi did it all the time depending on the mission. And if Sakura were a guy, if she didn't look so much like a certain someone, he'd be just fine with it. He wouldn't have even put up a fight; a fight that made him look like a fucking weak-willed teenage girl. If Obito could see him now he'd be laughing at him. The great Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Nin, feeling uncomfortable about sleeping in the same bed with his team mate.

He reached over and switched off the lights. Moments later he was sliding between the sheets with her. He shifted into a comfortable position with his front to her back. As she told him, he got as close as he possibly could. And as the clock ticked onward behind him on the wall, he found himself lulled into a serene sleep with the smell of Sakura surrounding him. And whether he wanted to admit it or not... it would be the best sleep he'd gotten in over fifteen years...


	47. Chapter 47

**..Chapter Forty-Seven..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_I met you just tonight_

_But I keep wonderin why_

_It seems I've always known you all my life_

_I've held you only once_

_But I keep wondering why_

_It seems I've held you forever_

_Can it be true_

_Could I be wrong_

_That somewhere in my past_

_I fell in love with you_

_Can it be true_

_Could I be wrong_

_That somewhere in my past_

_There was also me and you_

_I kissed you only once_

_But I keep wondering why_

_It seems I've kissed your lips so many times_

_I know you only now_

_But I keep wondering why_

_It seems I've known you forever_

_Can it be true_

_Could I be wrong_

_That somewhere in my past_

_I fell in love with you_

_Can it be true_

_Could I be wrong_

_That somewhere in my past_

_There was also me and you_

_Can it be true_

_Could I be wrong_

_That somewhere in my past_

_I fell in love with you_

_Can it be true_

_Could I be wrong_

_That somewhere in my past_

_There was also me and you_

_I love you only now_

_But I keep wondering why_

_It seems I've loved you forever_

_Somewhere..._

_There was you and I..._

_Somewhere..._

**Special credit for this song suggestion goes to JosELynne.**

**I agree, hun, it fits perfectly; and therefore has been named the theme for this story. I'll be listening to it for key inspiration in the final chapters.**

**..**

**.**

He slowly exhaled as the smell of cherry blossoms hit his nostrils. Her skin was soft, her body was warm. His face was buried in the silken feel of her short strands. His fingers delicately danced along the base of her spine, flesh meeting with flesh as he pulled up on the cotton of her T-shirt. He could feel her her breasts pressing up against his chest and her warm hands flattening across his stomach. He felt them go lower and inhaled sharply as one ran over his hip, brushing the bare line of flesh between the hem of his shirt and band of his boxers. He felt her reach about and press into his lower back, pulling him closer.

His breathing slowed as his eyes fluttered open gently and he was pulled from his drunken-like slumber. It took him a few moments to realize it wasn't morning yet but only the middle of the night. It took him second later to realize he wasn't dreaming, but his body had betrayed him; his heart had.

He shut his eyes painfully tight as he realized he'd been dreaming about Her. This time it had been so much more real; so much more vivid because of whom he was entangled with.

Somewhere in the middle of the night they'd pulled closer together. His legs were now wrapped up with hers. Her face was in his neck; her soft breath fanning across his collar bone. Nearly every inch of her was pressed against his body. It was the first time in many years he'd slept with someone.

He didn't want to let her go, he realized. He should push her away, but he didn't. He should untangle himself from her body heat without waking her up and go back to their former position. Again, he didn't. He didn't have the emotional strength to do so. Instead, he pulled her closer. He hid his face in the curve of her neck and inhaled more deeply.

It'd been so long since he'd _allowed_ himself to have human contact like this again. For all the years he'd been part of Team Seven he'd been their teacher, their friend and finally their equal as a captain. And unless they went on a mission without him, that's all he'd ever done in his career since; there had been no other partners or team mates.

He hadn't lied to Sakura when he told her he'd slept in the same bed with his team mates. But, there had only been one he'd done that with, not many; even after he became a lead captain for a three man squad. The missions had been dangerous and while they had slept close to one another, it was always side by side in sleeping bags. Not like this. He'd easily had the strength to say no then. He hadn't with Sakura... Not when her reasoning was so sound. Not when he really hadn't wanted to argue with her to begin with. Not when he had wanted to be this close...

Again... maybe he was painfully kidding himself. But for right now it's what he needed. He didn't have the strength to argue with his body anymore than he did his heart. So... he gave in. If they woke up like this he knew she would never say anything about it.

He kept his eyes closed and slowly drifted back to sleep; knowing naught what his body and heart were so soundly trying to convince his mind of.

ooo

When he awoke again it was hours later and the warm body he'd felt earlier was no longer by his side. He slowly opened his eyes and was swept up in the image beyond the window. The falls in the early morning light were something to look at; just as much so as they had been from a distance.

He slowly rolled over onto his back and sat up as he heard someone moving about behind him. His keen senses told him it was Sakura and therefore was no need to reach for the kunai stuffed under his pillow.

Bright green orbs looked over at him with a beaming smile. She was already half dressed in her uniform from last night. Her hair was freshly combed to it's spiked half hazard disarray. Bangs reached her chin and kissed her cheeks with each movement.

"Hey, good news. We aren't dead," she joked out.

"Yeah," he murmured in agreement as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "What time is it?"

"About seven. I was going to wake you up, but hey, looks like I don't need to."

He watched as she sat down and started to pull on her shinobi boots. Shortly after she was locking her shin guards into place. "Going somewhere?"

She nodded as he sat up. "Yeah, the maids already came with breakfast and I ate. Yours is on the table. I've got an appointment with the Daiymo today."

"Before the fight?" He pulled the sheets back and stepped out of bed. He moved towards the table and took a seat.

"Yup. If we have any hope of figuring out if his uncle did murder his father the first thing I'll need to look at is the body." She snapped the final clamp into place and checked to see how well they were set about her legs; patting a few times. She sat up and looked over as he began to pile things on his plate. "That's ok, right? We never talked about our plan of action last night."

Kakashi nodded as he scooped. "Yeah, that would have been my first suggestion anyway."

"Good. Are you going to stay here?"

"No, probably not. I'll need to do some investigating of my own. I'm pretty sure his father's room has been since cleaned and removed of all his things. I'll start with the uncle's." He reached for his chopsticks and began to nudge around the food on his plate.

Sakura stood and put her mask on. The ribbon was tied tightly behind her head. "Sounds good. Just don't get caught. Remember what Dai-sama said. He wants this under wraps until we have any evidence."

"Yes," he murmured in agreement. "All anyone is suppose to know about us, is we're here for the tournament."

"I'll be back by eleven. That'll give us about four hours to do some investigating. And hopefully Dai-sama won't have any problems with my request to exhume the body." She shook her head as she strapped her blade into place on her back. "I really hate asking at all..."

"It can't be helped," he replied. "We need somewhere to start. And the best place is always with the victim. All leads go from there." He looked up at her as she moved to head for the door. "Just be careful yourself. Those Mist nin are still out there. Alright?"

She mock saluted him with her free hand, the other was on the door handle. "Roger that, captain." With what he was sure was a grin under the cover of her mask, she left without another word.

Kakashi shook his head and quickly went through his meal. Moments later he was leaving the room himself, and locking it behind him only after setting up a few traps for intruders. A 'do not disturb' sign was hooked on the outside of the door. Then, he was gone.

ooo

Sakura slowed down to an even walk as she moved from the indoors of the palace and to the gardens. There were few people wandering about. Many of them were courtiers or servants working on the landscape. Some of them looked up at her, some with curious eyes that held both fear and respect. Others still looked at her with what she could place as outright disgust. It wasn't surprising. Some people hated ninja; others just hated ANBU. She'd heard many whispers over the years while in this uniform. Some people thought shinobi had too much power; especially ANBU. A regular ranked shinobi could easily hide what he was by pocketing his headband. An ANBU could not. Outside the borders of their own country they were forbidden to go without their mask in public.

Then again, the looks she was getting might not be just because of the power she held and wielded. It could very well be over the tournament this afternoon. Or, some of these people might very well agree with the Daimyo's uncle. There was no understanding politics wholly. Your brain would hurt even trying to. But Sakura did understand once a line was lain down, people took sides. Some only in words and through the law. Others still would take a more unethical stand. Who knew which of these people around her, as she walked, were key enemies. Or maybe none of them had anything to do with the death of the former Daimyo, if he had been murdered.

There was no way of telling if their looks had any ounce of meaning without a proper investigation. And the first place to start was with her questioning of the young Daimyo.

She kept on walking until she reached the center of the garden. There, surrounded by a large pond with shallow waters which led off to several parts of the garden, was a gazebo made of cherry wood. She took the small stony path above the water to the meeting place where the Daimyo was waiting for her. As soon as she arrived he stood and smiled. She bowed as he did.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice, My Lord."

"It's not a problem at all. Although I was a tad shocked by your request." He raised his thin brows. "Don't tell me you've already found the evidence we need. I was told Konoha bred both talented and loyal shinobi, but this would rise above and beyond my expectations."

Sakura smiled behind the mask. "Your kinds words are appreciated; and your amount of confidence in us is equally unexpected. Sadly," she replied, "no. I did come to ask you a a favor though." She looked about the landscape and saw no one was around. "Tell me, is this a safe place to talk?"

He nodded and sat down, motioning for her to do so was well. "Yes, very. Everyone has been ordered to keep away from me for the time being. I've made the excuse of needing time to mourn. They won't question your presence because they know what's coming in a few hours. Now," he went on, "I was told it was urgent. What is it you need to ask of me?"

Sakura took a seat across from him at the small round table. She interlaced her fingers together in front of her. "You have to know this is not an easy request for me. Despite being ANBU, we from Konoha do not beat the emotions out of our ninja. And I have every respect for your traditions in regards to the dead." At his confused look she continued. "I need to ask if you can exhume the body of your father. There might be clues I can ferret out with a proper examination."

"Well," he said with an air of surprise in his voice. "You'll be happy to know I've already had it exhumed and placed under twenty-four hour guard in our morgue."

"You are keeping it cold, right?"

"Not frozen, but yes, we are keeping it in a ...well... I'm not sure what it's called. But it's where we store the bodies of royal house members before a funeral." He frowned. "When my uncle made his announcement I had it pulled from the family crypt. My doctors have already preformed an autopsy. They found nothing, Lady Blossom. I'm certainly not doubting your abilities... but what can you hope to find that my specialists could not?"

Sakura nodded. "I understand that, My Lord. However, without all due respect, your doctors are not shinobi."

"Of course not," he agreed.

"That being said, I am versed in a special art of ninjutsu that uses chakra to heal. My teacher is a medical nin, as am I after her. There are various techniques I can use that will allow me to see things your doctors could not."

"Interesting," he replied. "If it helps you find any evidence then so be it. You wouldn't mind if I watched, though, would you?"

Sakura smiled at his curiosity. It was something she'd seen in herself long ago. "So long as you have a strong stomach, My Lord. When can I review the corpse?"

"Today you'll have to participate in the first part of the tournament, of course. And afterward I imagine you'll need rest. But, the day after, if all goes well, you won't have anything to do. The next match is scheduled for the day after tomorrow."

"Tomorrow then?" she asked, standing up and bowing respectfully.

He stood as well and bowed in return. "Yes, I'll send word for you when it's ready."

"Thank you, My Lord." With a friendly wave she stepped backwards out of the gazebo. She pivoted on her heels, turned about and walked back towards the palace.

A few paces away a patch of flower bushes rustled with movement, but nothing more. Neither Sakura or the Daimyo noticed the occurrence.

ooo

Kakashi stepped away from the broom closet and locked it securely behind him. He looked nothing like he normally did, genjutsu firmly in place. Where his hair had once been silvery-white was now a long braid of brown down the center of his back. His face was uncovered in the illusion whereas behind it he was still masked. Mismatched eyes were replaced with dull chocolate browns. His face was smooth and the technique made him look no more than twenty. He was garbed in simple servant's clothes.

He gave a quick look over of the area before moving down the hall, head bowed in subservience. All he had to do was keep this up until he reached the uncle's room. Even if someone came in on him unexpectedly he'd simply say he was new and got lost. Anyone would buy that in large home such as this. And he had enough manipulation training to pull it off. He paused as he heard a few noblemen come down the hallway. He bowed his head and waited for them to walk past. But not before he overheard the conversation.

"So," one began, "who do think's going to come out victorious in this thing, anyway?"

The other snorted. "Have you seen those ANBU from Konoha walking around? My money is on them. Our Daimyo might be young, but he isn't stupid. That aside, who wouldn't want a woman who looks that deadly... or easy on the eyes.." he chuckled out, knowingly, "to win?"

The first rolled his eyes. "We haven't even seen Lord Setsuna's team yet. How can you bet money this early? Without even seeing the competition? And all because you got a good look as some fine piece of ass?"

The reply was unheard from there onward, as both men were long gone down the hall.

So, even the royals had yet to see the opposing team? Well, there went his hope of finding out about them before the fight. As the first one stated, it was always good to know a bit about the competition before deciding the outcome.

With that final thought he continued on down the hall and up some stairs. He passed a few servants who were also very talkative. And thanks to that, he quickly figured out just where he needed to go. Minutes later he was closing two large doors behind him just after concluding the room was void of all occupants.

He glanced about, trying to decide where to begin. The room wasn't very much different from his and Sakura's; only larger and more decorated. He narrowed his eyes on a desk set against the wall and began there. Each drawer was carefully rifled through. Each time he finished with one, he made sure everything was as it had been before. When he was done with the desk completely he went all about the room. He looked behind picture frames, in books and tapped on the wall for hollow places where one might hide anything incriminating. In the end, he found nothing.

He sighed, realizing he might actually had to question what he was looking for before going further. If he stayed in here much longer he chanced getting caught.

If he'd murdered someone... what would he have to hide? Kakashi paused as he considered it while rubbing his chin in the center of the room. As far as anyone appeared to know the Daimyo died of old age. Well... if that were the case could he have been poisoned? Was he looking for a vial here? Something that kept small containers or injections of such a thing? Or would Kakashi have to wait until Sakura got to review the body to look again?

He began to pace but stopped short as a floorboard creaked under him. He narrowed his eyes on the elaborate rug beneath him. He knelt down, peering at it and reached out. He gave a soft rap with his knuckles to the ground. The sound that came back was one of hollowness. He smirked and moved about the edge of the rug, fully intent upon pulling it up. As he did this, though, he head footsteps and the rolling of gears in the door knob. His eyes widened.

ooo

Setsuna smiled kindly as he opened the door for his wife who was holding his newborn son. He shut it quietly behind them as not to wake up the child slumbering in her arms. He watched her sway delicately across the room and to the crib where she placed him down with a smile.

His Asa-hime, as he liked to call her. His beloved wife. She was everything a man could hope for and more. She was graceful, beautiful, reserved and never did anything to embarrass him. She'd given him a him a healthy son and even then the tides of pregnancy had not made her beauty wane. No, if anything it made her look even more lovely.

He sighed and stepped up next to her to look down at their boy. He placed an arm over her shoulder. "I'm worried about this afternoon, love."

She frowned up at him, brows raised in near innocence. "Why would you be?" She paused, eyes narrowing almost sharply. "You're not still blaming yourself, are you?"

"Maybe..." he murmured.

She sighed and looked down at their son. "It's not your fault, Setsuna. He's the one who made the challenge. We had no choice but to call in those Mist nin."

"I know.. but... am I making the right choice?"

"You're doubting yourself now? After all you've done?" She shook her head and faced him. "As I told you before, he's not ready yet. You agreed with me, after the funeral, that it was in his best interest to step down for a few years more. We're doing this for him. Because he'd our nephew." She took hold of his hands. "Waterfall is very prosperous because our Lord has always been good at making sure our trades are done correctly. His father made sure of that. And we both agreed he might not have the same keen sense of business his father had for a few years more... right? We both agreed it wasn't worth the risk, not until you knew he could do it... Right?"

At her soft convincing voice he slowly nodded. "Yes, of course, dear." He sighed and smiled. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You're always my voice of reason."

She smiled in return. "I try.."

"Why don't we go eat some lunch, just me and you before the fight, hm? We can have a nurse sent up to watch him."

"Alright," she agreed, following him out of the room.

As they both exited a certain man hidden with genjutsu sighed from the ceiling above. Moments later, before the nurse came in, he was taking his leave, pocketing away whatever information he'd learned. He could always return to look for for more.

ooo

Kakashi made it back to the room just as Sakura was returning. Just he was stripping off his mask and shutting the door behind them both fully set on speaking with her about what he'd heard, a knock to the door sounded.

"The Daimyo requests your presence at the arena. A guard will wait for you no longer than five minutes outside this door to lead you there."


	48. Chapter 48

**..Chapter Forty-Eight..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_11th Year_

_Day 121_

_Time, 21:32 hours_

_Cherry,_

_One year, three months and fifteen teams failed later... and Minato finally sends me a trio I'm forced to pass. Yes, forced to. There's really no way to explain it. And trust me, it had nothing to do with Naruto being the Hokage's son. Even he's bound by the same rules dealt out to every Konoha shinobi._

_Alright, maybe I wasn't forced. Technically speaking I didn't have a choice because it wasn't my choice to make. They passed the same bloody bell test Jiraiya once received from the Third, the same one I received... the same one you received from your sensei._

_And do you know the funny part? I hardly had to lecture them about the importance of it. That luxury was utterly yanked away from me in form of a young girl... with pink hair and green eyes._

_I think he did it on purpose. There's no other explanation as to why._

_Do you know what she told me when I asked her what her goals were? Her dreams? She said she had been told countless times how intelligent she was, how book smart she was. But, she felt she lacked entirely in her physical prowess. She said... her goal was to become a shinobi worthy of being a equal member of her new team... she said... she said she didn't want to be left behind._

_I can't do this anymore. A big part of me avoided passing so many teams at first because I wanted to rebel against Minato. Another part of me eventually realized none of them really had what it took. It was so different when I was ANBU. You'd left shortly after then. I was so bloody nervous about being a leader for two people. But, I did it. And eventually I just went solo, feeling utterly inadequate._

_Then as time passed and failed one after another I realized Obito was right. I _was_ comparing them to you, love. I just couldn't see putting someone in the field, someone by my side, who couldn't handle the position._

_But... that girl... this team... they're different. I can't explain it. They have something of you in them. They have something of the team you once led in them. Maybe... maybe.. I don't know. I still have my doubts, but I swear on your memory... I will do my very best to be as good a leader as you always were to them... to me._

_Second chances aren't given for nothing.. even if we don't want them in the beginning._

_Missing you still..._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

The cries from the audience echoed just beyond the closed doors at the end of the corridor. Sakura's eyes narrowed behind the veil of her porcelain mask as her lips made a flat line. Two guards, their escorts, stood behind them as they waited for those doors to be opened. Kakashi stood to her immediate right. She could hear ceremonial drums being played in the distance, signaling the match would start soon to any who didn't know.

She slowly exhaled, causing warm breath to fan up and across her face behind her guise. She wasn't sure how much longer they had to wait. Neither of them knew what to expect from their two enemies, having seen nothing of them since they'd arrived.

When she was much younger, before the start of the Chuunin exams, she'd had the benefit of meeting or watching the competition from a distance. But here, in this city of beauty and mystery, she had no such luck. Now, as she stood at the doorway to the first battle, she half wondered if their enemies had been denied the same.

She began to relax her stiff posture and nearly jumped when the doors ahead of them began to open. They creaked and whined in protest, age and lack of use showing through. It was obvious from this that everything the feudal lord had told them must be true about these sorts of fights.

As light streamed through and shined just beyond her eyes narrowed in protest, adjusting slowly. Someone from the outside called them to enter the stadium and both her and Kakashi walked forward. The guards did not follow them, and as they moved towards the center of the field, Sakura finally got to look around her.

It had to be five times the size of the stadium in Konoha used for the Chuunin exams (or, about one football field). Trees, bare and grassed earth surrounded them. Patches of water were here and there. In all truth, it made the perfect playground for any shinobi fight. She began to ponder if they had redone the landscape just for them, or if it had always been like this.

Around them, the walls stood as high as the ones in Konoha and the audience was seated at the near top. All in all, she imagined if more shinobi villages had these sorts of funds to waste, this is what a true stadium in her village, any village for that matter, would look like.

As they made their way towards the proctor in the center, Sakura, at last, got her look at the two Mist nin they would be fighting against. The one on the left was taller than his companion. He was swathed in a cloak of midnight blue with a high necked collar, which covered everything from the nose down. One side of it was cast over his shoulder to reveal a black long sleeved shirt tucked into a pair of gray, black and white camo pants. He wore the standard shinobi shoes. His hair was long and braided, as pale blond as the tone of his near white skin.

The most unusual thing about him, though, was his headband and weapon of choice. The only reason she knew about it was because of the size. A long scythe was lazily strapped to his back and over his eyes was his headband. How could he see where he was going?

Like many other Mist nin both had a foreboding presence about them. And honestly, of all the villages to deal with, Mist had to be her least favorite. Truly, she couldn't comprehend how every shinobi that she came in contact with from there whether missing or not was so... dark. Maybe it was the swamps? Hell if she knew.

The partner, the shorter one, was much darker in complexion. Instead of his hair being so downright pale, it was an exotic red. She'd never heard of a Mist nin with red hair. Many of them came in shades of black, blue and pale pastels. And his skin? He looked dark enough to be from Sand. More so than Gaara, considering his skin color.

She couldn't tell if he had a key weapon of choice, because unlike his team mate, he didn't display it. He too, was clothed in much the same uniform colors. But instead of camo pants, they were black. His shirt was not long sleeved, but ripped at the seams. The camo colors were about his his forearms as Zabuza's had once been. And, like her and Kakashi, he wore an ANBU armor-vest.

This made her eyes narrow slightly, wondering if maybe they were ANBU for Mist. Based on the Daimyo's fears, it wasn't completely unlikely.

His eyes were not covered, and boldly looked her up and down with a more predatory gaze than Stalker. It almost made her feel like she was twelve all over again, facing her first enemy, that look. But, years of training made her continue, unmoved.

Both teams stopped as the proctor held up his hands and began to make the announcement.

"Both teams will fight this match and the one after it until one team scores two wins. The rules are as follows.. " The tall man in official looking clothing paused to look at both groups before continuing. "You are allowed one time out for the entire tournament. Each team will be presented with two devices. When one individual uses the device to call a time out, the match will be called to a five minute halt. A few things can signify the end of the match. One, the obvious, is the death of the other team. This will not stop the tournament, but it will stop the match and present a win to the living team. Second, if one or both team mates leave the stadium bounds. Three, if you call a forfeit for the match. And four, if both members of either team are knocked unconscious." Waving his hands wide, he finished. "That aside, all is allowed. Are both teams clear on the rules?"

Everyone nodded.

"Very well, I'll tale my leave of you four. His Lordship will do the honors of announcing the beginning of the fight. Until then, any actions are considered an instant forfeit." With that, the proctor gave them their devices and left the stadium.

As both sides waited for the match the be called into play a soft breeze swept through the stadium, rustling leaves, dirt and causing the rippling of water. A dust cloud was carried up and between either side.

Sakura slowly exhaled as she closed her eyes. Green orbs blinked open with a determination she'd learned so vigilantly from the very man standing next to her.

She looked over at Kakashi, her twin pools turned slightly upward as his own gaze remained forward and fixed on the enemy. They'd done well together so far. He'd been distant, as usual, but not downright cross. However, now was game time. Just because they'd been in step during the race in the woods, did not mean they would be here.

Was Minato, right? Would fighting by his side help him? Or was the blond Hokage's wisdom misguided? Would any of this help ease his pain, the damage in his heart and mind? As he looked over at her, twin pools of ebony laced through with the same determination as hers past the slits in his mask, she hoped so; especially as the Daimyo called out the start of the match.

"Begin!"

ooo

It had taken seconds after that very call for the shorter Mist nin to preform a mist jutsu that placed the entire area under a fog. Sakura could barely see past her nose and she imagined Kakashi wasn't fairing too well next to her either. After all, when they'd faced Zabuza he'd done the very same thing. Did these two know he was a Sharingan user? Or were they simply using it as a means to whatever they were planning?

She nearly jumped a she felt something brush past her from behind; something slithering. A snake? No, snakes did not feel like they were covered in slime. Living with Sasuke as long as she had taught her that much.

Sakura felt Kakashi turn next to her, placing his back against hers. She nearly reached for his hand, to squeeze it and assure him they could both do this together. As long as they were a unit they could do this; as a team, a unified front. Just as they always had.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she heard laughing from no particular direction. It was everywhere around them, echoing and taunting. To any ordinary individual, it was meant to cause fear and upset. Shinobi knew about these sort of tactics. If they meant to scare her or Kakashi this way they were sorely mistaken.

Her thoughts were disrupted again as she felt something slither past again. Only this time she turned, searching for creature as it moved. But as she did this something else did the same thing once more. What were they? Or it? she barely had time to catch any sort of chakra reading off of the thing before it moved again. It was so bloody fast.

"Crow, watch out--."

"I know, something's out there. I can't see a damned thing in all this fog though."

Sakura nodded, not that he could see that. "It might be nothing at all, just a tactic to shake us up."

"Possibly," he agreed evenly.

"I can't sense either of them in this mess. Kami, I _hate_ Mist."

"Not very fond of them myself," he replied back. There was a short pause between the two of them as Kakashi reached to hush her, eyes narrowing behind his mask. They both watched as something dashed by. He barely read a flash of black with a short stature.

"Cherry.."

"Yes?"

"I'm going to go take care of the smaller one. You stay here and handle the larger. Got it?"

She didn't like the sound of that. This had not been what she'd been hoping for at all. She voiced her opinion. "What? Are you nuts? In this? That's what they want. To separate us. All of their tactics suggest that; especially the last one. The only way we're going to win this is if you stick with me; if we stick together."

"I know that. I can handle it. So can you. Just like we handled Zabuza and Haku."

Sakura sighed, trying to keep her focus on both Kakashi and the battle going on around her. "We had Naruto and Sasuke then. And we barely survived with our lives," she pointed out. "Granted, Naruto didn't listen.... "

"And we're a lot stronger now. We've both grown since then. We've both learned. Alright?" He urged her, also listening for any danger.

Sakura shook her head. "No, I can't condone this. We're much better as a team. As a unit. Just like you always taught us. What you're saying makes no sense. What's the point in being a two man team," she half laughed out sarcastically, "if you're going to run off and play solo?"

"Then consider it an order," he muttered gruffly.

"Crow--."

"Be careful."

Before she could argue further he was gone into the mist, hunting for the nin they'd seen earlier. All she wanted to do was scream at him. She refused to show her frustration, and instead, counted to ten before exhaling. Did he do this to his other teams on ANBU? Was this his way of getting back at her for being on his team in the first place? He'd never done with team seven... And of course she knew why... but still...

Her eyes narrowed again.

She'd deal with it later. For now, she needed to keep her emotions under control and figure out how to deal with her enemy, wherever he was.

She stared out into the mist, legs spread and knees half bent, prepared for anything. It was then she heard the laughing again.

"Seems like your friend left you..." he called out with sadistic humor. "Don't worry, my brother will show him a good time."

"Hn..." she muttered back, eyes searching, "if you so easily underestimate my partner, you've still a lot to learn, Mist."

"Intelligence... I like that. I had a feeling you were a smart one. The pink hair was a throw off, but I'm glad I was wrong."

"I get that a lot," she called back with a smirk.

"Wit too... such a shame we have to meet like this. I'm sure I would have enjoyed a nice coffee with you in another situation. Another time.... ah well."

Sakura blinked. Was he hitting on her? Well... that was a first...

"Back to business though..."

Before Sakura could react she felt that slithering again. The mist kept her from doing so. And this time she didn't just feel the slither, the skin; no, this time she felt fangs wedge their way into her skin, piercing. She grit her teeth against the pain and pulled a kunai out to strike at the thing on her leg out of shear instinct. But, as she did she felt a shock run through her body. Her eyes widened open and her mouth formed an 'O' as she felt the first wave rush through her. Thousands of needles pricked at her and bit at her body. Every nerve was on fire as she cried out.

When the pain finally let up she felt like she had been depleted of at least half her chakra. She was left panting, dazed and it took everything in her to stand. "What..."

And then, the mist in the area started to clear; but only in a small oval, and only slightly. It was enough for her to look down at the thing wrapped about her leg and realize what she was staring at was a slimy eel. She narrowed her dazed vision on the thing as short bolts of electricity bounced off of it.

"The fuck..." she whispered, mind already trying to analyze and figure out how to get out of this one.

"You like my electric eel jutsu?"

Her eyes shot upward to look at him as he stepped closer. "Hardly," she muttered, mind still working. God damnit, if Kakashi had only stayed with her... Kami only knew what he was dealing with.

"And a spitfire." He smiled. "To be honest though, I did have a bit more hope for you. At least that you might last longer. Once my darling sinks her teeth in, there's no removing her. As soon as I drain your chakra I'll move onto your friend."

Sakura said nothing as she panted softly, secretly wishing she had Sasuke or Kaiba here to help her out. Animal nin had never been her specialty. There was only so much one could study after all; or pick up from friends. And eels were not something she considered a specialty.

She couldn't just stand there though. Regardless of what he said, she needed to at least try and dislodge the creature. Once again she was aiming her kunai downward at it's head, striking. As she did this though, another shock wave of pain shot through her.

"Ah, ah, ah..." the blinded man said, "I wouldn't do that, were I you. Each time you try to harm her she'll know because she's connected your mind through the flow of your chakra. And with that, she'll defend herself. It'll make it worse for you, in the end. Normally, her shocks come in ten minute intervals, allowing for at least an hour before the victim feints. At your rate, you'll have maybe half that at your current speed."

Sakura once more grit her teeth, refusing to respond. Because, honestly, she wasn't mad at _him_. No, because the Mist team knew exactly what they were doing. And if Kakashi had stayed with her, they could have avoided this stupidity altogether. The Mist nin hadn't attacked her with the creature until after Kakashi had left; it was barely moments later, in fact. This told her he'd been waiting for him or her to go, trying to scare them with the earlier tactics. And Kakashi had left; not because he was scared or frightened into action, but because he thought playing solo was going to get them out of this.

All of this told her the Mist nin most likely only had one creature, which is why his brother had distracted Kakashi. If he'd tried this same tactic while there had been two of them to deal with then the other would have simply cut the thing off, not being able to sense the immediate strike.

This all told her what? She had very few options. In fact, the only one she did had was to somehow force herself to get this thing off of her body despite the obvious pain she would deal with while doing it. It didn't help she was seriously depleted of chakra.

And so, for the next ten minutes she went about trying to removed the creature from her thigh. And each time she tried to remove her she was put through the same agonizing pain as before, the Mist nin laughing all the while. She never wanted to cut someone open more in her life than right then in that moment.

Anger built in her body and in her core. Over his laughter, over Kakashi's determination to do things on his own and over all the stress the entire situation wrought. It burned and seared. And unlike when she was a kid, that anger over a situation she didn't know how to control did not make her retreat in fear or lash out stupidly. It made her think, and stew and brim with her rage. Her eyes narrowed... And for one more final time she reached upward with the kunai, staring at the blinded Mist nin, and struck downward.

Only this time she rode through the wave, she pushed it aside as best she could. She forced herself so intently she felt the blade of her weapon sink past the skull of the beast and into her own muscle tissue. But the relief she felt as it went slack against her leg... was enough to make her forget about it.

"Shit--."

Before she could hear him finish that sentence she was off and running, eel tossed aside and kunai pocketed. With barely anything but adrenalin to move her, she created several shadow clones who all took to different directions in the mist.

She reached out for Kakashi's chakra signature, praying to Kami he wasn't keeping it so low even she couldn't find it. The mist, being everywhere, did not help her in the least. She had to maneuver several trees, bodies of water and a few boulders at the last second before impact. Finally, growling frustration, she lept upward off a high tree branch with enough force to climb above the mist. It was then she got a few moments of a bird's eye view to see if she could find him in any light patches. It didn't do her a damn bit of good. The field was too large.

Just when she was about to resort to giving away her position and calling out for him she felt a huge surge of chakra. Her eyes widened as she skidded to a stop in recognition. She'd felt Sasuke use it enough to know; Chidori. She was off and running again, seconds later reaching them and stopping where the fog was slightly clearer. And much like with her and the other Mist nin, but more so, the area was utterly void of fog. Her eyes immediately drew to the ball of flashing lighting.

Kakashi.

The other, the Mist nin, held a bow in his hand, cocked and aimed at her team mate.

Something felt off about the whole situation. Kakashi only ever resorted to revealing Chidori, his signature technique, when the situation truly called for it. The Sharingan wasn't enough to reveal his identity, as it was covered by the mask for the most part... but the technique... only he and one other knew how to use it effectively... that was another matter.

Her eyes narrowed as she evaluated her partner, placing her anger aside. She watched his body language, his stance, his slight movements. And then, finally, her eyes drew to his upper left arm where a large wound was dripping blood. She didn't need Byakugan or Sharingan to tell her what all the signs added up to. No, she could clearly see the wound's color from even this distance, as dark as it was, swollen as it was.

Poison.

Her jawline set. Enough was enough. What was he trying to do, kill himself? Why hadn't he come for her? Why hadn't he called to end the match? Even if she healed his wound, she would still require time, focus and energy to remove that from his body. And from the looks of him, he wasn't doing any better as each moment passed. Not any better than her. And with her chakra drained to the point that it was, anger the only thing fueling her, there was no way in hell she could fix that type of damage in the field. It was unthinkable. Not in her current state. not without some serious time. Something she was sure a time out wouldn't give her.

"Crow!" She yelled out. As he looked over at her she pulled the device from her pocket. "I'm calling it. Now." Before he could cry an argument, she was pressing the button. A horn sounded out, signaling their forfeit. Seconds later the mist cleared completely and she disbursed her shadow clones.

"First match winners are the team from Mist. Point goes to Lord Setsuna. Teams please leave the stadium the way you entered," an announcer called as both groups handed their devices back to the proctor.

As soon as Sakura and Kakashi entered the hallway, doors shutting behind then, he was confronting her; reaching for her upper arm and yanking her to face him. "What the hell was that?"

But Sakura didn't respond, instead she yanked her arm away and continued walking down the hall. Kakashi was close next to her, forcing himself to move even as his vision blurred. He stepped in front of her. "I--."

"Shut up, Crow."

"Excuse me?"

"Are you deaf, or just stupid? I said, shut up."

"I heard you," he snapped.

"Good. Then you'll definitely hear me when I tell you to shut up. **Again**. I'm not talking to you about anything until I get that poison out of your body. Because right now, I'm so mad at you I might give myself more work to do once we do reach our room."

"Ch--."

She cut him off by grabbing his upper arm and preforming a teleportation jutsu. In a puff of smoke they were back in their room. And even there she didn't let him get out one damned word. Instead, she shoved him onto the bed and nearly ripped off his ANBU vest and shirt as she pulled the first one off and the second one up around his neck. She quickly gathered all the supplies she needed and went to work.

"Move and I'll tie you down," was all she said before going about pulling the dreaded black stuff from his bloodstream. It wasn't as bad as what she normally dealt with, only being a minor poison, but he still balled his hands and grit his teeth as she worked. And despite wanting to revel in the pain she caused him, being angry still, she wasn't. In fact, she tried not to cause him much more pain than she could manage.

And when she was done, nearly worn and ready to drop after simply bandaging her own wounds for now, it was then she finally, somehow, forced herself to finally lay into him. "What in the hell is wrong with you? Normally, I'm not the type to say, I told you so, but in this case I'll make an exception." She was sitting, arms spread wide as a sign of her exasperation.

"You're the one who called the match, Sakura."

"You're damned right I did. You gave me no choice."

"_How?_" His voice began to raise to the same level as her's as he tried to sit up, eyes narrowed.

"How? HOW? Isn't it obvious?" She wanted to stand, to pace in all her anger, but she just didn't have the energy to do so. After fighting off the eel and removing the poison from his body she just didn't have the strength.

"You left me, you idiot. That's how all of this started," she cried out, using all the power she had in her lungs to force out air and speak. Emotions dripped from her voice. "We're a team. A _team_. You and me. That means we're suppose to work together, not apart. I.." she tried to not choke on her words, and forced herself not to. But she had a feeling if she didn't get it out and get herself together soon she'd end up breaking down in front of him. She'd done that enough already. She had to keep telling herself she wasn't that girl anymore, the one who cried at every little emotion or stress in or out of the field.

"I know I'm not substitute. And like hell I want to be, Crow. I might love you, but I won't be a mirror for something." She wouldn't be, even for him, even if it was of herself. "And you won't treat me like a second class shinobi. I'm your equal. Equal! While you were playing hero I was fighting for my life. It's not the first time I've done it, and it won't be the last, but if you had stayed none of this would have happened. If you had only listened to me instead of going off to--!"

"You're the one who stopped the fight! I had it under control!" He yelled out, back at her, just an angry.

She'd never seen him like this. As his student, as his equal, as his lover. Never. Kakashi prided himself on control. And in truth, now that she thought about it, the only time she ever saw him yell like this was when he'd tried to attack Obito in the Hokage's office after she, Sasuke and Naruto had brought him back.

"You were barely standing because of the poison. Not to mention, after careful analysis of your body? it's not too hard to tell you were trying to use the Chidori for a third time. A third time, Kakashi. How many times have to told Sasuke that using it in such a raw form more than twice in one day was to sign your death contract?"

"I knew what I was doing," he muttered harshly, looking away from her. His face was filled with a mixture of anger and something akin to withdrawing into a 'shell'. "It's none of your business." As he heard the scraping of a chair against the floor he looked up to see her grabbing her gear. "Where are you going?"

She laughed softly, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to kill the sleep in them. "You really are trying to kill yourself," she replied softly. "Minato was right. And I'm convinced every time you get into a fight, in that uniform, it's like you lose all sight of yourself. You're just not the same man. You're not the man I fell in love with. You're not the man I came to admire while he was my teacher. And, your not the same man I chose as my partner. The same one I trusted with my life.... Kakashi," she said emotionally, her voice half shaking and yet filled with strength, "you told me when we started this that you were happy I understood the importance of what this uniform once represented, as a two man unit. Yet, you've lost all understanding for that very meaning yourself." She smiled sadly, as if coming to a resolution, or perhaps out of pity for him. Serenity was half expressed in her torn eye of emerald, the same ones that haunted him in and out of his sleep. "When you learn what it means to be a team, to lean on me... not as a replacement, a fill in, or a _punishment,_" she whispered strongly as she pointed at herself, tears barely brimming her eyes and lips quivering, "but as someone.... as someone who has earned this uniform; someone who's earned the right because of what I did. Not because of what you expect someone not be. Not because of some impossible pedestal you've set this... this title on. It's not fair to me or anyone else. And it's unfair to ask more of me when you can't even give it yourself; not when you're fighting to make up for a loss or a void that even _you_ can't fill,...Crow. No," she uttered with new found strength as she shook her head, "I won't be your damned punching bag, whether you mean to do it or not. And when you learn how to accept these things, to treat me as an individual who's earned this place because of my skills,... I'll be waiting."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN:** Number one, I want you to know this chapter was hard to write just because I was at a loss for ideas about how I wanted to go about it. That was one reason why it took so long, despite it nagging at me to finish it. I know Kakashi's perspective was completely ignored here, but for good reason. I wanted you to feel only what Sakura was feeling. Not Kakashi. And don't worry, this isn't like, the end. Ha, that would be horrible. And I'm not stopping on witting this... it just took me longer because of some road bumps. Like... laundry.

Well, that and I had to help my guy start a D&D game. Did you know 4th Edition character sheets are detailed all to hell and back? Though, gottah say, despite disliking wizards as a whole, not just in D&D, I'm happy with my choice for character.

Anyway, that aside, I hope you enjoyed this installment. Now, I'm going to go finally check my email and see how many tomatoes were thrown my way to hurry up. -bows, tips hat- excuuuuuuuse me.

**--Blade**


	49. Chapter 49

**..Chapter Forty-Nine..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_Do you remember me,_

_I'm just a shadow now._

_This is where I used to be,_

_Right here beside you._

_Sometimes I call your name,_

_High on a summer breeze._

_What I would give,_

_To feel the sunlight on my face._

_What I would give,_

_To be lost in your embrace._

_I've fallen from a distant star,_

_Came back, compelled because I love._

_I'm caught between two different worlds,_

_I long for one more night of earth._

_Do you believe in dreams,_

_That's how I found you._

_But I can't be with you,_

_Till you take a leap of faith._

_What I would give,_

_To feel the sunlight on my face._

_What I would give,_

_To be lost in your embrace._

_I've fallen from a distant star,_

_Came back, compelled because I love._

_I'm caught between two different worlds,_

_I long for one more night of earth._

_I've fallen from a distant star,_

_Came back, compelled because I love._

_I'm caught between two different worlds,_

_I long for one more night of earth._

_I've fallen from a distant star,_

_Came back, compelled because I love._

_I'm caught between two different worlds,_

_I long for one more night of earth._

_--Fallen, Delirium_

**..**

**.**

She didn't have much energy to really go anywhere. And in all truth, it'd taken merely shear force of will to leave the room. But, somehow, Kami willing, she'd made it to the roof of the palace; where the winds were soft, cool, however comforting. Where the stars were as bright as small lights in the dark sky. Where the clouds were far and few. Where, despite all her aching need to talk to Eon, she felt close enough to speak with him wordless.

None of this had turned out the way she'd wanted it to. None of it. Sasuke had gotten his happy ending. Naruto had gotten his. Where was hers? Why? Why did she have to fight so hard for it? Why did she have to suffer so much because of it? Why hadn't he made the connection where Itachi had with his brother? Was she so hard to see? Or was he simply so damned logical he couldn't see her for what she was; staring him in the face?

It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. And the whole thing made her want to cry as she had that first night she'd been home, drenched to the bone in her green dress.

Her lower lip quivered as she reached into the spandex of her uniform and pulled out the chain which held the ring he'd given her, forced into her hands and placed around her neck with tears in both their eyes.

They'd both suffered so much. Through time, space and all that was written.

Sakura was caught between two places, two worlds. The one that was in the past, the one she'd left him in, the one she'd fought beside and loved him in and the one she was in now. She was fighting against herself and losing. She was fighting a memory and he was clawing at her just a ferociously as she was trying to open him up. How much did she have to endure? Years? A lifetime? How much longer did she have to wait?

She couldn't do that. It had take her years just to admit to herself that it was ok to love him, that he was a starting point for her in becoming the woman she so longed to be since becoming a shinobi. Kakashi had been so much more to her than a teacher, so much more than a mentor; he'd been her rock, her guiding light. He was wrong when he told her, in that time, that she was his guide.... he was hers.

"What am I to do, Eon?" She asked the stars as she placed her necklace back in her shirt, safely tucked away next to hear heart.

He didn't respect her as an equal on ANBU. He'd shown that clearly today. One minute he was taking her advice, agreeing with her when it came to the investigation and the next, he was not the same man. She'd really thought she'd gotten somewhere earlier in the day before when he was starting to treat her as he did on team seven... but older. She really thought she'd gotten somewhere. That maybe his words were only that, words. But she'd been wrong. Whether he'd done it out of habit or because he really didn't see her as an equal was beyond her. And no matter how you looked at it, to her, it was nearly unforgivable. His other team mates might have been ok with him nearly killing himself on missions... but she wasn't. She wouldn't be. Especially not when she'd been the one to cause him to be that way. It was something that had been out of her hands, but it didn't make him justified. There was just a point when she had to put her foot down; when she had to quit being soft on him. Being overly understanding was getting her nowhere.

At all.

ooo

He stared at the ceiling for at least an hour after she left. He counted the creases and cracks in some vain attempt to get the whole thing out of his mind; to continue convincing himself that he hadn't been wrong. He knew he was, he knew he'd acted on auto-pilot earlier that day, but he was still too angry at her for ending the match in that first hour to see common sense. But once he got past that first hour... he shortly realized just was an idiot he was. Maybe not all of what she said he agreed with, but he knew he could have done something different. He could have stopped for a moment, thought about it, and stood by her in the fight. He just...

He sighed. He _knew_ why.

As soon as it the match had started, anxiety had set in; the same sort that plagued him years after She left, looking for Her ghost by his side. The only difference was... this time he'd looked... and found Sakura. And it was that calm sense of confidence he hadn't felt in years, over sixteen when She had been with him, that scared him. As soon as his back had touched hers, as soon as they'd started talking... that common banter he'd been so accustomed to, he lost all that anxiety, all that fear, all that loss... and just let got and depended on her for a moment, not Her; a mere second. It was during that mere second he realized what he was doing. And that fear made him do all the stupid things he normally did when She wasn't there.

He'd left Sakura by herself, something he would never do on a team under those conditions. He'd lost his mind, in a matter of speaking. And had she not ended the match, they could have both died. She could have died. But... she hadn't. And that... that was something he'd been a little shocked over.

He'd known she could take care of herself. If she'd graduated ANBU with her numbers, he was sure she could. However, he hadn't been totally prepared for the reality of it all. Today, Sakura had displayed a sense of leadership and quick thinking he wasn't use to; not in her. She'd always been the quiet one, the one that smiled, the one that tended wounds and helped others feel better both physically and emotionally. He'd never known she could be so bloody headstrong and decisive. And not just decisive, but good in her decisiveness. She'd picked up where he'd failed and showed she could do what needed to be without him.

He sighed again and closed his eyes, rolling over.

In a way, Sakura... was very much like the one he loved so much. And that was what really scared him the most. He feared getting lost in the idea that she was someone she wasn't. Not only hurting her, but himself and the woman he loved in the end. It wasn't to be. It couldn't be done. And while Sakura was different in some subtle ways, she wasn't. It was so hard to explain his mind simply could not wrap around the idea. She seemed almost stronger than the woman he loved, as though she'd been through some terrible trauma, as though she were struggling just like him. Was it simply because she loved him and couldn't truely have him, or was there something more?

What he really needed to do, was apologize and come to some sort of agreement with her. He knew he still had to keep himself from seeing her as his ...well, it didn't need to be said. He just couldn't do it. Doing so would keep him down a path he was trying so hard to resist walking down. He wouldn't even deny now he was walking it. He just needed to convince himself, his heart, it wasn't going to work out.

With one more heavy sigh, a grunt, and a summoning of his strength, he got up. He dressed and made his way about finding Sakura.

ooo

It took him another hour of quietly wandering the halls before he realized she might not be in the palace at all. And it was when he searched the top floor he felt a trace of her chakra signature. After a moment of careful thought he realized she was probably on the roof.

It was there he found her, sitting on the large beamed peak, hunched forward with her arms wrapped about herself. As she looked up at the night sky. The wind tousled her strands errantly; like a lover's whisper. He considered watching her for a while, perhaps even going back. But, he reminded himself he'd been the one to do this, to start it. None of it was her fault. And because of that she shouldn't be burdened with the hardship of his own cruel emotions backfiring on him.

"Cherry?" he whispered softly, questioning. He watched as she turned around looking over at him. He kept watching as she stood, still holding her as if cold and replied.

"What do you want?"

"I came to apologize," he stated before he lost his nerve. He waited, but she didn't say anything for a while. He could almost see her arching a brow beneath the cover of the mask. He sighed and looked off into the distance, eye locking on the falls. The only way to get through thia was to start from beginning, to explain.

"I wasn't happy when I found out I was getting and ANBU team mate. The only reason I took this gig in the first place, with a team mate, as a duo, was because Minato promised me I might have a chance to look for Her after a year... Depending on how this all went."

"That's suppose to make me feel better?"

"No," he muttered, still not looking at her, hands in his pockets. "When I found out it was you I was angry. I initially felt betrayed because you'd spent that whole week with me and didn't say a damned thing. I poured my heart and soul into you and you hid from me the entire time that you were going to be my partner."

"I though we already talked--."

"We did," he interrupted her. "Just allow me to finish, alright? You said you'd be waiting on me, right?"

"...Right," she half sighed, half whispered her reply, looking down.

He nodded, eye half closing further. "When we got here... I was anxious. I expected that. It was the sort of feeling I got everytime I was on ANBU after She left. I was never the same without Her. She was my guiding light, my tie to the earth, my voice of reason when things got out of hand. She helped me become the man I am, Cherry. And this uniform, the position you have right now, was the only thing I had left of Her. You have to understand that isn't easy for me."

"I do."

He didn't inquire further, still not looking at her. "Everything mellowed out... until today; until the fight. I started to ...get edgy, like I always did... looking for Her... I'm not going to sugar coat it for you. Years of... this has definitely... wounded me. And for some reason this damned uniform is a trigger for it all. And whenever I wear it, when I fight in it... I look for Her. I wanted solo so I could find Her, regardless of the risk; so no one else would get hurt because of my weakness. I always knew Minato was right. I half killed myself each time I left Konoha because I was reaching for her strength by my side. I'd grown so use to it... it became a crutch."

"What are you trying to say, Crow?"

It was then he looked at her, feeling her gaze meet his even through the small slits of the mask. He held it. "Today, when your back met mine, when we spoke... I got lost for a moment. Everything was suddenly ok... because I was depending on _you_, not Her. And realizing that, accepting it, isn't easy. ...It's like saying goodbye, and I'm not ready for that. I never will be. Please understand that."

She was quiet for a while, allowing it to settle in. So, in part. She'd been wrong. He'd not been trying ignore her because he hated her, because he didn't think she was capable of doing her part; he'd done it because he was scared of what allowing that all to mean for him. He'd done it because he believed her capable and wanted to resist it.

She stared at him, holding his gaze.

She _was_ making a difference. He _was_ making the connection. It suddenly all made sense. Kakashi's heart was telling him, boldly, that Sakura was who she portrayed herself to be. And Kakashi wanted her to be. However, logic, good reason and common sense were getting in the way. These were all things she had to contend with. She'd been prepared for that all along. And as weird as it was going to be... she was going to have to play the true third party here. For him. Again.

"Crow.... " she began, "Emotionally, I've not asked you for a thing. The only thing I want from you is the same thing you've always given me on team seven. I get that this is different... The uniform, the mask, the name and the duties... all of it is different. And it's all you have of Her, in your mind. But just because I'm your partner, just because I look and sound like Her, doesn't mean... I'm going to ruin those memories. I can never take that from you. No one can."

"I know," he whispered. "It's not easy. And dealing with it, is not the easiest thing for me."

She nodded and took a step forward. "Can you?"

He nodded. "I know I can. It's simply a matter of doing it. I'm not saying.. I'm not saying I can give you one-hundred percent of that trust yet... but I can at least give you enough to operate as a team."

"It's not perfect... but it's a start." She offered him her hand. "Truce?" He surprised her by reaching out and not only taking her hand, but pulling her into an embrace. She didn't really question it, nor did she really want to. Instead, she took what was offered, and held him as he held her. Whether he was doing it out of his own pain, or as an extension of the apology she didn't know. And, as said before, she didn't care.

"I want you to know, Crow... you helped make me the woman I am today.... I love you."

Silence echoed around them for a while; and just when she thought he wasn't going to say anything or do anything but hold on, he did. Breathing shakily into her hair he did.

"I know."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN: **I really wanted to add more to this chapter, but after putting you guys through all the non fluff, I had to post this. And technically, it's almost 3000 words. 2,500 is my normal minimum I set for myself. -shrugs- So, I'm not really breaking my normal standard; even if most chapters for this story are like... 5000+. Anyway, thanks a bunch. This chapter came easy to me. The next one will cover Sakura examining the body and Kakashi probably doing a little more detective work. And since we all know they won't lose the next match, this story might go 60 chapters after everything is said and done with. Talk about LONG.

Thanks for all the support. The song at the top of the chapter really inspired me. I feel it totally suits Sakura. Whereas, Come On Get Higher and Somewhere In My Past really suit Kakashi. Broken, by Seether and Amy Lee really fits them both. But hey, that's just me. ^,^ Blade loves music suggestions, so long as the lyrics really fit.

**--Blade**


	50. Chapter 50

**..Chapter Fifty..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_11th Year_

_Day 210_

_Time, 330 hours_

_Cherry,_

_Have you ever experienced that moment in your life when you knew you were really wrong about something? When someone told you something, forced you to do something, and you ended up realizing, perhaps, how right they were? There was so much of your life I never knew about, we never talked about, so the answer is unknown to me, my love. As for my own answer?_

_Yes, I have._

_I've done what I might consider a terrible thing. I promised myself, in your honor, I would be as good a mentor to my students as you had been a team leader. I've somehow failed in that respect to one particular student._

_An hour ago she fell asleep after we had a short talk about my actions. I knew what I was doing for these past few months, I just tried to ignore it; I tried to ignore her. It wasn't hard, to be honest. She's very withdrawn when she wants to be. In the midst of a fight she's utterly useless. I know that sounds cruel, but it's true._

_I can hear you now, scolding me, urging me to push her. I can see the disappointment in your face. I was avoiding that too, my mind conjuring your image telling me of my wrongs towards this girl._

_Forgive me, my love. It's not entirely my fault. There's so much about her that reminds me of you. Her face, her eyes, her hair and her voice. It's not easy trying to hold it together everyday with her right there in front of me. And then, at other times, it's a great comfort to me. Seeing you in the eyes of a girl who's depending on me has caused me great suffering and great strength. It's a double edged sword, I'm afraid._

_As for now, I'm making up my own wrongs by teaching her what techniques you personally mastered and created. I know you wouldn't be upset with me. That's just how you are. You always said knowledge was meant to be shared with a team, not hidden._

_I'm trying._

_I'm keeping you in my heart, missing you._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

It had taken six hours of patiently waiting, hiding in the walls with genjutsu and overhearing at least twenty rampant conversations in regards to Lord Setsuna and the Daimyo as people lingered by. He found the best and most informative were from the servants. That of course was no real surprise to him. People said much in the company of hired help, quickly forgetting they were people too and not just ornaments.

But finally, after waiting those many hours and nearly getting a cramp in his leg, those he'd been waiting to leave the room before him were finally gone. As an extra precaution he once more placed the servant's genjutsu in place before entering Lord Setsuna's room. But this time, he knew what he was looking for. The carpet on the floor was rolled back. He knelt down and reached for a hole in the floor, pulling up. And just as he'd suspected, the floor gave and revealed a secret door. He'd hoped to find a compartment hiding some sort of paperwork or a journal. What he found instead was slightly confusing. A stairway led down.

With slightly pursed lips he took the short ladder down. The room was dark as he reached the bottom. That of course didn't stop him from exploring around. A hallway led down one direction, but on the wall was some sort of lever. He didn't reached for it just yet, thinking better to examine it. He followed a rope attached upward along the wall and to the wooden floorboards currently open. It was then he realized it was a mechanism to close the entryway back so no one would be the wiser. Smirking, he pulled it. So much for having to worry about being caught. Whoever had set this up appeared to require secrecy.

Not leaving much else to chance he began his slow trek down the hallway, doing away with the genjutsu entirely for the moment. As he walked he went about thinking over his investigation.

Yesterday, before the fight he'd had every intention of talking to Sakura about what he'd learned. But considering all that had happened he'd simply forgotten to discuss it with her. He would after he was finished with his sleuthing today. They'd agreed to meet for dinner as always. And this time, in case something did happen, they both were wearing com devices.

When he'd overheard Lord Setsuna and his wife talking he'd been ready to hear something rather bitter and cruel from the older man. On the contrary, the uncle seemed rather apprehensive about taking the throne from his nephew at all.

Something was nagging at him in regards to the couple. Not wholly about Lord Setsuna anymore, but more about his wife. From what he'd heard, she was the one who appeared most interested in his nephew's 'best interests', not him. Men were known plotters in politics, but women could be far worse. Was it possible she was the one who wanted to see her son on the throne and not her husband? If this were the case, why not simply kill the Daimyo?

As he came to the end of the curving and turning passageway he heard voices, interrupting his thoughts. Taking his time and going much slower than before, he paused and knelt at the top of a curling stone staircase, listening.

"Heh, that wasn't so hard now was it, Lex?"

"Hn... you're only saying that because you ended up with the easier one. I got the girl. That little bitch took out Selene. Do you know how hard it was to train that eel? It took a good five years. And two before that just to raise her up."

"Whatever, quit your whining. We won. With the money we get from this gig, the Nami brothers are as good as set. We'll buy you another eel."

"You don't just 'buy' another eel, Zen! Fucking, jackass."

"What did you call me?"

The sound of a chair scarping against the stone floor was heard. He could hear the sounds of a fight about to begin. Before this could happen though a door sounded open, slamming against the wall. Kakashi looked over, pushing his chakra down as low as he possibly could. Both brothers stopped as someone clothed in an ebony cloak came in.

"Idiots!" A voice boomed. "The both of you! You have _no_ time to fight with yourselves!" Kakashi narrowed his eyes as figure came forward and hit them both on the back of the head.

"Sorry, Casandra," the shorter one mumbled. The taller merely grunted.

The woman known as Casandra pulled the cloak off, revealing her soft features, blue eyes and pale silvery hair. She threw the cloak onto the table. "It's fine. We have more important things to go over. Such as your fight. You're lucky today because you have a break. And I suggest you use it wisely to prepare for tomorrow."

The one named Zen snorted. "Prepare? For what? You worried over nothing, sis. Those two were fucking pushovers. Leaf sure has been spitting out shit-class ninja for ANBU if this is the best they have to offer us."

"Fool!" She cried out, slamming a fist on the table as her cold blue eyes glared at his. "What have I told you before? Don't underestimate anyone. Ever. For all you know yesterday's fight could have been a ploy to make you drop your guard."

"Maybe," the older male agreed as he shrugged. "I know the girl was a bit more than I could handle. If I face her again tomorrow I won't make the same mistake. Then again, Zen could be right and both of these shinobi could be just as terrible as they portrayed."

"Hn.." she muttered. "Regardless.. be careful. We've come too far in this game to lose it all. It's taken us years, if you recall. Years of careful planning and infiltrating. If that boy continues to be the Daimyo then it's all for nothing. We can't afford to be found out."

"Yeah, yeah," Zen muttered, "are we done then? I'm getting hungry."

"Yes, we're done."

Kakashi watched as all three got up and left the table. Quickly, he turned and left, going back the way he came. In a flash he replaced everything as it was and rolled the carpet back over the floorboards. Once again, like yesterday, he began to hear a doorknob turn. As this happened he immediately replaced the genjutsu, having no time to hide. When he turned around Lord Setsuna's wife was coming in the room, much to his surprise.

She turned, baby in her arms and arched a brow at him. "What are doing in my room? I don't recall asking for a servant... are you lost?"

Kakashi exhaled slowly, trying to look as naive and embarrassed in the genjutsu as possible. "I'm afraid I am. I'm new. Do you know where I might find the kitchen?"

She beamed at him. "It's on the bottom floor. When you get there just as a guard to show you the exact location. Tell him, Lady Asa requested it for you."

Kakashi bowed. "Thank you, My Lady." He quickly left the room, shutting the door silently behind him. That, in all truth, had been far too close. Unfortunately, he noted to himself as he walked down the hall, intent on finding his way back to his room, he had been left with more questions that answers after that. When he'd heard the voice of the woman he'd fully expected to see Setsuna's wife, Asa, scolding the two ninja. Instead... it was someone they referred to as Casandra. Someone, who looked nothing like the woman he'd greeted in the room moments ago, holding a baby in her arms.

Perhaps the uncle had nothing to really do with the murder at all. Was it entirely possible this whole was the doing of some other outside force? Was Mist solely involved? It didn't make much sense. Because that still didn't explain Lord Setsuna's actions or his wife's words. What would Mist want with Waterfall?

And why would they hire enemies? Were they in on it or not? Was Lady Asa an enemy or as innocent as she portrayed herself to be? Who was this woman Casandra? All of this would have been much easier if the woman who came in that dark room had been the wife of Lord Setsuna.

He supposed the best thing to do was go back to the room, wait for Sakura and what evidence she'd hopefully found. Two heads were always better than one.

ooo

Sakura waited patiently as she sat upon a sturdy wood bench just outside the guarded room to the morgue. Her foot tapped monotonously against the floor and a bag on supplies sat in her lap. Her hands were on top of it, loosely holding the small handle.

She was garbed in her normal uniform, lavender vest and metal guards securely in place. Her mask was unmoved, hiding her features and expressions in what some might consider a vexing manner. She, herself, as a young girl had always found not being able to see an ANBU's face to be quite annoying. That was until she wore the mask herself. Realizing just how unburdening it was to keep one's identity and expressions hidden was refreshing. Annoying went right out the door and was replaced with understanding. Of course being on the inside and knowing many of the ANBU from before helped alleviate a lot of that annoyance. Until more of her new memories returned she still didn't know a lot of the current ANBU. Then again, now that she thought about it, after making ANBU she only felt it was important to know one's partner rather that other agents in the unit.

She had to wonder if she'd had any friends when she'd went in this time, in this correct version of history. Was she or had she been as close with any one person as she had been with Kakashi? She doubted it, as no one had come forward and presented themselves before the start of this mission.

She sighed, moving to sit back more comfortably.

The most important thing to do at the moment would be to concentrate on what she would be doing once she got to examine the body. What would she look for first? Poison? Injuries? Tsunade had always taught her to look for the most obvious things first. However, if Dai's doctors had found nothing then her only real route, probably, was to look on the inside of the body.

Just as these thoughts came to her the Daimyo began to come down the hall and presented himself to her. He smiled. "Ready, Blossom?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied humbly, standing and bowing.

He turned to the guards and asked that they open the door. One of them stepped aside as the other unlocked the door and opened it wide for them both. Sakura waited until he entered to follow after herself. The door was shut and locked behind them both. She blinked slightly and looked.

"They'll unlock it once we're done. I hope you don't mind. I realize I'm probably being overcautious. But when one has two enemy shinobi in his home, one can't be too careful."

Sakura frowned and followed him forward, turning away from the door. "I fear a locked door will do little to stop ninja, My Lord. However, I can honestly say no one is in the room aside from us."

"That's good to know," he replied as they came to the end of the short hall-entrance.

The room before Sakura was quite large. Several steel tables the length of a human body sat in the middle of the room. A large light hung overhead and looked capable of being moved in any direction to better help and examiner view the bodies. On a short counter ahead of her were canisters, tools and files all over and well organized. To her left and right were a series of steel square doors that she could only assume were the designated 'freezers' for the bodies in the morgue.

"Alright," he started and came to stand in front of one door. "I'm not sure what you need. Does he need to be relocated to a table? Do you need me to get someone to move him?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, but thank you, My Lord. This is heaven compared to my usual work conditions." She smiled, even if he couldn't see it.

All he did was nod, smiling back and opened the small door. He reached for the handle of something in the cold compartment and pulled out the long 'table' that the body was laid out on.

Sakura looked about for a table and pulled a small stand over. Her bag was placed on it and she began to removed her arm guards and gloves.

"What are you doing?" He asked, face perplexed and curious.

"Well," she said as she set the last glove on the tray-table next to her back. "I'm going to put on some latex gloves. I might be a medical shinobi and it's not entirely uncommon for me to forgo the gloves... but I've never been entirely fond of touching a dead body skin to skin. Not to mention, it is a bit more sanitary, My Lord." She chuckled.

"Ah," he replied.

Snapping the final glove in place Sakura reached over and removed the sheet. As she suspected, upon visual examination with a keen eye, all look fine. There were no external wounds or abrasions. Nothing that hinted even remotely at foul play. She sighed and looked at the chest. "Did your doctors do an internal examination?"

He blinked.

She half smirked. "Did they cut him open and take a look at his insides? Check his blood for poisons, unusual wounds, excetera?"

He nodded. "They did take blood samples, but they didn't cut him open. With no real evidence of foul play there was no need to. That aside, it's highly uncommon, without a real reason to, for nobles to be... well... desecrated that way." He shrugged. "Should I of had them do so?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, that's fine. It actually makes my job easier. No offense, but nonshinobi physicians tend to work with a little less finesse. Sometimes they can leave the internal organs a mess. Not only would I of had to possibly fix that, but try and look for a cause of death as well." Her hands roamed over the body, feeling for anything her eyes might have missed. Once satisfied that it appeared as though everything was in order she asked him one more question.

"Did they find anything in the blood samples?"

"No, like I said, nothing."

She nodded. "I'd ask for the samples, but I'll take my own today. Would you mind terribly being my assistant?"

Dai smiled. "Not at all. It's the least I can do for your help."

Sakura chuckled. "You are paying us, My Lord. What you would be doing for me is merely a favor."

"One I don't mind."

She said nothing more and went to work. Her hands hovered above his body by about a half inch and she sent a flood of blue chakra to her palms and fingers. With a slow exhale she sent it forth and through the empty chakra system of the dead man's body.

"What are you doing now?"

Sakura smiled. She knew he was going to ask after everything she did. At least she'd come prepared. "I'm sending a stream of my chakra through his body, through his chakra system. This will help me tell if there's anything going on I can't see with my eyes. Think of it as a autopsy."

"I know shinobi use chakra," he stated with a furrowed brow. "But how can you on someone who is not a ninja?"

She blinked, confused. It took her a moment to realize just what he was asking. "Everyone has a chakra system, My Lord. Even you. Ninja merely utilize it better. Think of it like the blood pumping through your veins. Even after you die it's still there, merely dormant. The same goes for a chakra system. While the energy might be gone, the path is not."

He nodded and appeared content to simply watch her after the explanation was given. Thankful for the silence, Sakura closed her eyes and set to focusing on the body. She traced the entire chakra system, finding nothing. Frowning, she moved on to a more detailed search. Each and every cell was silently taken into careful consideration. Every muscle fragment was traced over. Eyes, teeth, veins, nails and, yes, hair were taken into account as she went through the body with her mind and chakra. After about an hour she began to wonder if he really hadn't died of natural causes.

In truth, Sakura wanted to believe this. Accept, there was no real indication that the older man's body had simply shut down. Usually when someone died of 'old age' there was some major indication. Such as a heart attack, degeneration of the body from the inside or some other tell tale sign or symptom associated with the death of an elderly individual. While Sakura couldn't find anything to cause foul play, she couldn't find anything to cause normal death either. Not even something easily hidden in the body of someone his son claimed was 'full of life'.

There must be something she was overlooking. Something. She continued the frown as she looked and looked. See the underneath under the underneath, right? Tsunade was her teacher and Kakashi was her mentor; her former teacher. Sasuke and Naruto were the greatest shinobi to ever live as far as she was concerned. Growing up with such talented people surrounding her how could she not find the answer?

Determined, she continued, looking closer. This time she focused on the main body organs that kept one alive. The heart, the lungs, the brain... Then, just when she felt the need to take a break something made her take pause. Something she'd overlooked the first time over just because it wasn't abnormal to find slight clotting around the heart veins. All elderly had some. This time she just couldn't overlook it. She delved deeper there, allowing her senses to see clearly all she could.

As she expanded her chakra in that area she smiled and released the flow. Her eyes opened and she pulled her hands away. "Dai-sama."

"Yes?" The young man looked eager.

"Could you get me a small bowl of water and a petri dish?"

He nodded and went to get both items. It took a few questions about each item before he handed them to her. She placed both on the small tray-table next to her and took off her latex gloves. Much like she normally did with poison removal techniques she pulled the water, small as it was, into her palm with chakra.

"What are you doing now?"

Sakura explained as she placed the palmed water just above the location of the dead man's heart. "I'm going to pull a small sample from your late father's heart. Do you have a microscope here?"

"Yes."

"Good." With a grunt and a push she forced the water into his chest and a moment later drug a small blob of yellow and red from his chest. It floated around in the center of the water ball. She dropped the contents back into the bowl and allowed only the blob to remain in her hold. This she dropped in the petri dish. "Where is it?"

"Over here."

Sakura followed him after putting the body back into the freezer and closing it. She carried the petri dish and the rest of her things with her. After a few quick movements she had a sample of the mess under the keen view of the microscope. She adjusted the lens and pursed her lips.

"What? What is it?" He sounded eager.

"Well..." she drawled, once more adjusting the lens. "To be honest? I'm not too sure. But it appears as though... bugs were in your father's heart. I'll need to do some more research to confirm what they are and if they were the real cause of death... But from what I could tell they may have been there for a while. How long I don't know." She paused. "I'll probably need to send a letter to Konoha."

"Take any liberties you need. I'll cover it," he stated quickly.

"Thank you, My Lord," she said kindly as she pulled back from the microscope. Both the petri dish and the small glass plate were securely placed in her black bag of supplies. She turned to his anxious but curious face. "I promise I'll do everything I can to find out what's going on."

"I know. And I can't tell you how much I appreciate that." He frowned, hands behind his back as if he could do nothing else with them. "I loved my father very much. If anyone caused his death I want to see they are brought to justice, My Lady. It's not merely a duty to my own personal feelings, but to my position as well. We can hardly condone such things in Waterfall."

Sakura nodded. "I understand."

"Are you done here? Or do you need to do more?" He arched a brow, trying to look more business-like.

"I may need to come back later, but I doubt it. I'll let you know, Dai-sama."

"Then I'll lead you out."

Without much else said both Sakura and the Daimyo left the morgue. She bid a cordial goodbye and made her way back towards the living quarters of the palace. Kakashi should be done by now. She silently hoped he had more information than her. Bugs? In a human body? Only one person could help her figure this one out. She would have to place a letter by the fastest flight bird to Shino immediately.

She wasn't saying anything to Dai until she knew for sure... but, faintly, from what she could tell, the former Daimyo appeared to have had his chakra slowly drained. She hadn't been able to tell very easily at first for a very big reason. Normally, when someone has their chakra drained, it's in one large burst. The tears and contusions on the system itself are quite obvious. It's not too hard to see the damage. But in the former Daimyo's case the small contusions were hardly noticeable. The scars on his chakra system were so faint any medical nin would overlook it the first time through. That aside, nonshinobi had very little reason to have their chakra drained. They were not as hard to kill as ninja. No right minded shinobi would have any reason to assassinate a civilian slowly; at least, not unless he or she had something to hide; not unless they were trying to make the death look natural. And to any royal doctor it would look that way.

Sakura knew without a doubt now there was some level of foul play afoot. But until she compared notes with Kakashi and got word to and from Shino she had still very little to go on. She was hardly giving up though.

ooo

Kakashi looked up from the table as Sakura came in. He watched as she pulled off her mask and took a seat across from him; setting her bag on the table. She appeared a bit drained, but no real worse for wear. "I take it your day went about as well as mine?"

She shrugged. "If you're implying that I've got more questions than answers than from the time I left? You'd be correct." She began to pull off her arm guards and gloves. "You first," she half ordered.

He smirked and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Submitting with little complaint he told her about what he'd wanted to tell her the day before. Then he went on to explain about the secret passage, the Mist nin and girl called Casandra. When he was done she looked slightly perplexed.

"You see," he muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest, "that was my reaction as well."

"Huh.." she murmured, slouching. "I mean... I understand Mist trying to get the goods in on a shinobi village... but a city? And one as small as Waterfall? I mean sure, they make good money, but not much to make a big difference. Why not shoot higher? Like Fire Country?"

"Then you don't think were dealing with Mist at all? You think it's closer to home?"

"You do.... don't you?"

He nodded, rubbing his chin. "I had time to think it over while you were gone. Mist isn't as big as Leaf. And at the moment we are on good terms with them. Not like Sand, but still not bad. Waterfall might be in a prime trade location, but shinobi have little care for politics. Money and survival I understand. Even Konoha, when you break it down, exists as it does under those two same words. And without war going on, Mist would have no need to control such a route. I doubt Waterfall Village would allow it anyway. They might be recluse, but it wouldn't take much for them get wind of it and take action. No," he said firmly, "I think we're still dealing with a family or political issue here."

"But you don't think it was the wife?" Sakura asked, narrowing her eyes. "I mean, there's nothing saying she's not working with this Casandra girl. Maybe she offered her something. Like a place of power if they won the fight."

"It still doesn't make sense. Why would the girl have said years? She talked like her and the two nin had been plotting this for a while. And why did that secret passage go in from Lord Setsuna's room?"

"I dunno," she sighed. "We've ruled out Mist being involved. Doing so would risk breaking quite a few treaties and starting a whole new war. So far Lord Setsuna seems decently uninvolved as well as caring towards his nephew. His wife appears slightly scheming and yet she's shown no real signs of being any sort of culprit. To top matters off, we're left with the two Mist nin in on something, and whole new player in the game looking like she's controlling her end of the moves." Sakura sighed, slouching further as she stared at the table and tapped a few fingers.

"So," he drawled out, half smiling hand smirking despite the situation, "what did you find out?"

It was her turn to explain. It didn't take near as long as his; and no where near as long as it had taken to find it all out to begin with. Once she was done he appeared just as curious as she had been after finding out.

"Hm... too bad we didn't have Shino with us on hand."

"You're telling me," she grouched. "I'm not going to worry about it for now. Especially after making sure they sent out the fastest bird with my sample and questions. Once I know what that damned bug is, where it's from and what it does we can both do some more investigating."

"Agreed," he replied.

"Until then..." she sighed out, "I think we both need to work on some things together."

"For?"

"The fight tomorrow, Kakashi. You agreed we needed to work better as a team; a unit. And the only way were going to do that is with a little practice." She paused as he stared at her apprehensively. "In this uniform, Crow. We need to be in sync. We can't afford another failure like yesterday. The Daimyo kindly said nothing to me today because he's depending on us greatly. He assumed whatever we're doing is apart of some grand plan. And right now, I'd rather everyone assume what they want. So," she continued, "will you do this? Like you said last night?"

He paused as well, eye half narrowed and swallowed slowly. He looked down at her pleading eyes, kind and emerald. Once more he felt like he was being cornered, just like yesterday. But, he told her he would do his best; for the mission if nothing else; even if he didn't quite trust her; this.

Closing his good eyes he sighed, relenting. "What did you have mind?"


	51. Chapter 51

**..Chapter Fifty-One..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_I'll come back_

_When you call me_

_No need to say goodbye_

_Just because everything's changing_

_Doesn't mean it's never_

_Been this way before_

_--The Call, Regina Spektor (Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian)_

**..**

**.**

Kakashi arched a brow at the blade in his hand, the sword given to him when he first joined ANBU. All shinobi of such a class were given one. It was hardly used, to be honest. In all truth, the sword was more the weapon of a Samurai, not a shinobi. Shinobi used them just as they used any tool. But short, light weight weapons were far more effective; like kunai or shurikin. In ANBU though, the sword like more like a badge, a ceremonial symbol everyone carried and wore like the mask. In the military in cities you wore colors or badges. ANBU wore masks and swords. He was sure when the unit was first started they were used. But these days they were hardly touched in favor of more powerful techniques or easier to wield weapons.

So, you can imagine his slight confusion over Sakura's request to pull his out just as she did the same with her own.

"You know, I can't see your face behind that thing, and yet I know you're looking at me like I've lost my mind, _sensei_."

He snorted and placed a hand on his hip as he he let the other holding his weapon fall lazily to his side. He cocked his head to the side from where he stood in the large gym-type room. "Sensei? Is that a hint that this is some half baked idea to get back at me for all the hell I put you through as a student?"

She laughed softly. "Hardly. I'm no where near as cruel as you." He knew she was grinning. "Tell me, do you know why ANBU carry these weapons? Have you ever seen a shinobi use one? At least as anything aside from a last resort."

He shrugged and held up his blade. He looked at it distractedly. "Many years ago I did have a young man on my team who did effectively. But, normally? No." He allowed it to drop back down as he stared at her. "Why?"

She smirked slightly. "I always did pride myself as being the one on the team who did the book work."

"Is that a jibe?" He asked it goodnaturedly.

"No, not at all. You wouldn't know anyway." She idly flipped the weapon in her hand, twisting it and turning it. "A lot of people think the sword we carry is merely a badge. And, to give those people credit, they are half right. I only know because Tsunade likes to give me dusty jobs."

He arched a brow and while still holding his blade, carefully, he crossed his arms over his chest. "A history lesson?"

She nodded and grinned again. "You never did mind them before. Has Naruto been rubbing off on you?"

"On the contrary. I'd love to hear it. There's little I don't know about ANBU." He waved his hand for her to begin.

"Good," she nodded in reply and began to pace, still toying with her blade skillfully. "There's not much salvaged in history about the start of the ANBU itself, as you know. And what few things are known are carefully preserved, guarded and passed down accordingly. Unfortunately, some of the less important things get... misconstrued. Well," she paused a moment, "the things most people consider unimportant." She paused again. "I'm rambling."

"You are."

She smiled slightly. "Anyway, as I was saying, things get lost. And sometimes these things get clarified as the years pass. When ANBU began there were two things that set them apart from any normal ninja. First the mask. The mask symbolizes your personal mark or talents contributed for or to the unit as well as you own need to keep your identity secret. You know the details on that. The second," she emphasized as she stopped walking and held up her blade, "was the sword.

"It wasn't merely a badge as most people think. There was a tradition behind it. When ANBU were paired with their partner they were given the sword by the Hokage. The masks were exchanged by the team mates, as you already know. The swords were never used a tool to fight with, although some chose to. They were, instead, used in a tradition to create a sense of harmony between the two team mates for that first year."

"Could you be a bit more clear?"

She nodded. "Sorry, I have a habit of that don't I?"

He shrugged and chuckled. "You learned it from me, so I can't fault you too terribly."

"True," she quickly agreed. "As I saying, they used the weapons to create a sense of harmony. While most people, shinobi, would think of it as a tool for mere bloodshed or defensive action, the first ANBU considered it more. They would fight with their partner, but not to beat them. Their goal was _not_ injure their partner while still keeping rhythm and pace. The goal," she explained, "was not to land a blow, but to follow their moves and allow your own to flow in theirs. Make sense?"

"So," he drawled as the information finally settled in. "You want help create rhythm and balance between us by utilizing the ideals of an old ANBU tradition?"

"Exactly."

He took pause in reply, also idly flipping the weapon in his grasp as he gazed at it. He eyed at the elegant steel of the blade and the precision workmanship. He could tell Sakura was waiting for a reply. "I love it, to be truthful. From the perspective of a teacher I wish I'd known about it years ago. It would have been a great way to get Naruto and Sasuke working together effectively."

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "I doubt it. They would have completely ignored your instructions at that age and just went at each other."

"You think so?"

She nodded, smirking.

"You're probably right..." he sighed out with half humor. "Still," continued, looking at the blade intently, "it would be a wonderful idea to implement in Genin teams."

"So, you want to do it?"

"I'm not entirely against it."

She frowned. "Crow... you said--."

"I said I'm not entirely against it. I didn't say no." He allowed the hand holding his sword drop to a hang.

There he went again, clawing at her every action. She imagined if she didn't know quite as much about his personal life, in his eyes, as she did he'd be hardly as revealing as he was right now. He'd be just as he was when he was her teacher and not her partner; cold, withdrawn, unreadable and random in his moods. Kakashi was always good for a smile to make someone else feel better, even at the expense of his own feelings. He'd lie through his every grin and arched brow. She realized then, perhaps she might actually be a bit harsh on him, at least in her mind. For years he'd kept everything from her, from his point of view. And now he was acting more like an open book than ever; vulnerable, obstinate, sarcastic as always, of course, and open verbally about his own faults and feelings.

Before, where he might have said something witty and rolled with everything, now he was actually half explaining his issue. A huge step, in the world of Sakura. And more telling signs that his heart knew her where his mind was still keeping up road blocks.

She shook her head, trying to get back to what they were doing; what she was doing. She had no time to be woolgathering like the bluestocking she was.

"I don't expect you to change overnight. I understand this is going to take time. And you don't have to trust me; at all. What you have to do, whether you and I want it or not, is learn to keep pace with me just as I have to with you. This exercise isn't going to force you to depend on me, Crow. It's going to force us to keep in time with each other, as equals."

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Don't forget, you're not the only one learning here."

"How so?" Now he was confused again.

She sighed and scratched the back of her head. "Well... as you can tell, I've known about this for a while."

"Yeah... And?"

She sighed and dropped her hand. "You never did ask me why I never exactly told you three about it. Despite being Tsunade's apprentice, I was still a regular member of team seven."

"Do you want me to ask?"

She hated it when he did that. Sasuke would have just asked by now. Kakashi was either too riddlesome or too overly cautious for his own good. "Nevermind. Are you any good with a blade?"

Now he outright blinked at her slight subject change. "Well... yes. My father taught me. ...Why?"

"Well... I'm not exactly... good with one. I'm not bad. But..." She frowned as she heard chuckling. "Hey, Tsunade didn't exactly require a lot of weapon's training, Crow. Her idea of a weapon is her fists."

He was grinning. "No, I'm sorry, it wasn't that. You just..."

"What?"

He sighed, still smiling and half laughing. "I almost wish I could see your face, because the tone in your voice was a tad adorable. That's why I laughed." And then he was chuckling again. "Don't worry about the sword technique. Few shinobi master it. It's not something many of us use. I imagine yours is better than most."

Sakura was suddenly glad for the mask over her face. Because beneath it she was beat red. Not out of embarrassment or anger. Really, out of shear surprise. Did he have any idea what he'd just said? Did he know how utterly he'd let down his guard and how fluently his heart had spoken on his behalf?

"Sakura? Did you hear me?"

She blinked. "Yes, I did."

"Good, how about you show me what you know. I'll go from there and then we can work together. Agreed?"

She smiled, happy his mind was in gear. If not knowing how to do things was what got him out of the deep divide of his mind and back to where she needed him maybe the next time she wanted him to do something she'd just pretend she didn't know. She really didn't know much about sword techniques; but it was still something to chuckle about.

"Agreed."

ooo

Left, right, sidestep, strike, dodge, turn, left, sidestep, strike, duck, flip, drop back, now forward.

Sweat dripped down their forms. A pile of vests, guards and gloves all lay in a pile across the enclosed, private, genjutsued room. When he moved she moved. When she struck out with her blade he gave way. When either of them moved in any direction the other followed like dance. They were fluid, they were water. And after three hours of pain, hurt, bruises and outright curses they'd finally got it.

Sakura had never imagined it would have been this hard. In the forest they'd been so perfectly in sync she assumed it would be a cinch. The only reason she could fathom why it'd taken so long, well, the only two reasons she could fathom, were simple when she thought about them. Kakashi had been anxious about doing it to begin with, so of course his mind didn't want to allow his body to relent. For Sakura, it was her own worry that it might not work or she might actually do something wrong. It sounded silly, but she didn't want to hurt him. She was still quite inexperienced when she started. And her apprehensiveness had not helped Kakashi in the least. Both had ended up resorting back to near a teacher and student in relationship. Accept this time Sakura had the voice to finally back her up. So, _this time_, it had turned a bit more vocal and vulgar.

But after a few cuts, bruises, curses and shouts between the two they had finally gotten it down. It might seem hard to believe, but not entirely when one thought about it. Even without the Sharingan, which Sakura forbid him from using for this, Kakashi was still a top class learner; like her. What Sakura _use_ to lack in prowess, she'd always excelled at in intelligence and quick learning. These things all combined made for one dynamite duo--like before. Sadly, the only one who recognized this for what it really was? Sakura.

This time though, she hardly minded. On the contrary, she was so busy grinning and moving, elated, she hardly remembered all that suffering she'd been going through the night before. This is what her heart had longed for. That harmony they'd always possessed, that fluidity the art of the dance in and out of combat.

For once, Kakashi wasn't recalling the long lost love of his life. Whether he realized it or not he wasn't picturing Her because he was already with her. He wasn't comparing Her mirror to his partner. He wasn't taking note on how much they were alike or not alike. He was simply reveling in the moment, the rush, ...yes, the dance; elated as she was.

He'd never been happier in his life, at least not in so many years. And this time he didn't think about it, too busy enjoying himself; simply allowing himself to feel and nothing more. While like this his mind had nothing to do with anything. His soul and his heart were punctuated and emphasized with every step and evasion. His grin was just as wide as her own.

He'd suddenly, without knowing it, had forgotten all about Pakkun and the mission he'd sent him on. All his fears, pain and apprehension were gone. While the feeling of trust was still lingering in his core, it would eventually slip.

Kakashi wouldn't realize it for perhaps days later, but this would be the moment he fell in love with Haruno Sakura. All. Over. Again.

ooo

Genjustsu removed from the room, sweat wiped off with towels a few moments later and armors replaced they were walking back to their room. Laughter and good banter rang out in the hallway from them both. All the nagging pains and hangups were momentarily forgotten as they talked.

"Do you know Sasuke and Naruto still have a bet going that you have fishlips under that mask?"

Kakashi grinned. "You three were rather creative, I must admit. I almost felt sorry for you all."

She snorted, also grinning. "Ha, you felt sorry? I felt sorry for Ayame. It took weeks for that poor girl to realize what's she'd seen was a genjutsu."

He arched a brow. "And how did you know that?"

"Please, sensei, I'm not an idiot. I'll admit you're lovely, probably," she amended quickly, "but I can always sense a good genjustsu even if I can't see it with my eyes."

"You always were pretty good with that," he agree, chuckling. "I'm found out. Tell me though, how much are you betting in this pool?"

She arched a brow this time, looking over at him. "Nothing, if you must know. I don't need to. I was told the White Fang was a very handsome man in his time. From the nose up, you look a lot like him." She smiled slightly and looked forward once more as they neared there door.

Kakashi began to reply but there was a maid waiting for them. They both stopped as she bowed.

"Yes?" He asked.

"The Daimyo requests your presence at dinner. Every will be there, my lord and lady. He suspected you might refuse on the basis of food and needing to keep your identity hidden. As such, dinner has been set one hour later than normal so you might eat beforehand and prepare."

Sakura blinked. "Is this required?"

"Not so much required, my lady, as it is highly rude not to go. This tradition is apart of the tournament. There is always a meal between rounds. It promotes good sportsmanship between the competitors. What shall I tell his lordship?"

Sakura looked over at Kakashi. "Well? Any ideas?"

He shrugged. "If you really wanted to eat with them we could always use a genjutsu to hide out identities and forgo the masks."

She nodded. "Not a bad idea." Sakura looked over at the maid. "Please tell Dai-sama we'll be down in an hour but to not send us up any food. We'll require time to ready ourselves."

The maid bowed. "Yes, my lady." And then she was gone down the hall.

As both Sakura and Kakashi entered, the door closing behind her she frowned. "I'm not sure I like this very much."

"Why?"

"Well... I dunno... I've never been good with making nice in a social setting with people I might have to kill." She shrugged. "I've done it, I just don't like it."

He resisted the urge to chuckle as he pulled off his ANBU mask. "I doubt very seriously this 'tradition' was put into place for good sportsmanship."

"What do you mean?" She began to mimic his actions in removing her gear.

"Well," he started as he pulled off his guards and moved onto his sandals. "A social setting is a good place to assess the competition up close and without bloodshed. There's a lot you can tell about a person just by how the eat and speak. More than you realize."

"Yeah, I know," she sighed. "I'm just not fond of it. Good at it, but not fond of it."

"To be honest, I don't like it much either. But, it's still a good opportunity for us, all considered. Don't forget though, it's also a good opportunity for them. So keep your guard up and don't say anything stupid." He dropped his vest on the floor.

"Ditto," she shot back with a smile. "You want to shower first or should we flip a coin?"

He waved his hand. "You take it, I feel like sitting for a while."

She chuckled and grabbed a pile of clothes from her pack. "Did I wear you out, old man?"

He snorted, leaning back and rubbed his eyes. "Keep that up and I'll really wear you out next time."

She laughed on her way into the bathroom. "Promises, _sensei_, promises..." Her final remark left him pondering long after the start of shower sounded.


	52. Chapter 52

**..Chapter Fifty-Two..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_11th Year_

_Day 333_

_Time, 1900 hours_

_Cherry,_

_I'm still not happy about being put off solo, make no mistake. But, living with this team for the past few months, watching them grow under my careful instruction, it's filled me something I can't quite place. I'm not nearly as angry anymore, but certainly still depressed. I smile more without a falsity behind it. Even Obito has commented on it._

_Should I be? Happy? Without you by my side? For all I know you're holed up somewhere and need of my help, someone's help. Is it really fair to you to be even a little bit happy? I'm not going to say yes, but for you I won't say no. I can't imagine someone as strong as you simply falling into enemy hands. Although I can't shake it as a fear of mine._

_What are you doing, Cherry? If you had only told me something of your mission, anything, I could be helping you now. Maybe that's my fault. Maybe I should have been more inquiring. If I had known you'd be gone this long I would have. I imagined a few years... not over a decade._

_I still hurt, I still drink more than I should and on occasion I've taken a smoke from Asuma. But I want you to know Minato was right, I've gotten a little bit of my humanity back. I'm not trying to kill myself anymore, if you want to call it that. I ache, I swear and I scream when no one's looking; occasionally I cry as well. I'm not ashamed. But, I hope to bring you some sense of comfort by telling you I'm getting better. I might never be ok, not without you, but I'm getting better._

_Waiting for you..._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

It had taken about forty-five minutes for them to get showered and ready. Sakura was a little surprised when about a half hour into it clothes were sent up to their room. Formal clothes. Expensive formal cloths that actually fit. How did the Daimyo know their sizes? Was that apart of some good diplomacy lesson he'd been groomed for? Who knew. What she did know is she was having more than just a few second thoughts.

She looked over at Kakashi, her brow furrowed. "You know, I'm not so sure I want to forgo the mask. It's one thing if civilians are there. But were talking Mist as well."

Kakashi went about adjusting the long silk of the ebony and forest green robe. "Are you worried about our identities being discovered?"

"Well... yes..." she agreed, her brow furrowing over his nonchalant tone. "Aren't you?"

"No."

Her brow furrowed further and she placed her hands on her hips. "Why not?"

"Because you're going to be the one putting the guises up," he said simply, looking at himself in the mirror and moment before turning around and eying the collar of her own robing as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She narrowed her green orbs on his one back open one. When he didn't reply she prompted him. "Kakashi? Are you paying any attention to me?"

"Explicit," he murmured quickly before closing the distance between them and reached for her collar.

"That--." She paused midsentance while he reached out and tried to fix her attire. "What are doing? You're not listening at all. This is serious. An ANBU's number one priority aside from assuring the mission success is keeping their identity hidden. How can you be so calm about this? ...What _are_ you doing?" She asked again, looking down as he smoothed his bare hands down the upper part of her chest. It did more than distract her for a moment.

"You had some fuzz here, that's all." He smiled behind the blue spandex of his mask, eyes crinkling and all; as genuinely as he'd done so when she was still a Genin.

It was enough to make her take pause, her mouth half opened. Her face was awash of many conflicting emotions as she stared up at him. She didn't know what to think, say or do. Yesterday he'd been apprehensive, withdrawn, mute most of the time. And now... there was something else there. Something that made her lose her voice and all sense of reason.

"Look," he said with reassurance in his voice as he placed his hands on her shoulders. It was a tone she'd missed; it was once again something she'd been longing for from him; that confidence. "You're the best genjutsu user I know aside from Kurenai. You're chakra control is nearly unbeatable, even next to Tsunade. We won't be found out. We'll be fine. Now, are you ready?"

He left her standing there, mouth still slightly agape as he reached for the pair of wooden tongs next to the door sent up with the cloths.

And just like that, all doubts she'd once held were washed away just like every other time he bolstered her. This had been what she meant about Kakashi being her rock. Little did Sakura known, while Kakashi was reassured in the field by her physical presence and prowess, Sakura was and always had been assured by his words. It's why this whole thing had been so hard for her without him. He'd hardly said much to her that reflected that courage, that confidence and dependence in her that she needed from him.

They always depended on one another. Her to have his back and he to give her those words that drove her into battle everytime.

With little thought on it, Sakura just blinked a few more times, still slightly off kilter. The whole time she'd been the one sure of them both, the one with the plan, the one who had to get him going in the right direction. And now, for some unexplained reason, just like that, the roles had switched for a mere moment.

"Are you ready?" He turned to her, asking again.

"Um, yeah," she half sputtered, pulling from her haze. She smiled, brightly, genuinely and nearly lost herself all over again when he smiled back at her in much the same way. It was a smile she hadn't been on the receiving end of for a while.

She couldn't help but notice how her heart hammered in her chest when he looked at her that way without really knowing what he was doing to her. Perhaps, as she set about creating the genjutsu, Kakashi was not the only one falling over again. And perhaps, our heroine had no real clue either.

ooo

"Damn..." Sakura muttered under her breath as they reached the large dinning hall. It was a tone that reflected worry and annoyance. Her false fire-red eyes stared, narrowed, at the scene before them both while Kakashi held her arm in a gentlemanly manner.

Their guises, for now, were last things on her mind. Her short pink strands had been allowed to remain their color and length, as this couldn't be hidden by the mask. Her eyes and features had been altered, of course. She'd taken the opportunity to make her dreaded forehead smaller. Not because she was still hung up on it, but because to many people that was they knew her most keenly physically. Her bangs were shortened and drawn over it, curling towards the formerly offending feature. Her lips were reddened and pouted with the color she applied in the mix of the genjutsu.

To be honest, aside from the eyes, the change to her most dreaded feature and few more subtle alterations to her features to make her look nothing like herself...? Well, if one looked closer, they could imagine this is what Sakura might look like a few years older and with a bit less mud on her boots; when she chose to look more as Ino tried to even in the field.

As for Kakashi? His hair remained as it always did, also not being hidden by the mask very easily. The blue spandex of his other mask was forgone only after she'd closed her eyes to work her magic. And just to be a little coy? And keep his identity still keenly hidden? She'd made him look a bit more like his mother. She paled his skin more, softened his features more, and if one wanted to call it anything? She'd grinned at the thought then. He probably looked more like that genjutsu he'd put in place to fool Ayame than anything else.

He'd looked in the mirror curiously afterward, but said nothing as he merely raised a brow at himself.

No, none of this was worrying her now. What was worrying her now was exactly what was making her partner feel right in his element.

Before them, at least a hundred nobles twirled on the floor while they were announced by the footman at the entryway.

"I give you ANBU officers Lady Cherry and Lord Crow from Konoha."

Murmurs were heard across the room as they stepped in. Sakura gripped his arm in a vice. She swallowed a lump in her throat and resisted the urge to sweat like a demon in hell.

Kakashi must have felt her apprehension, not to mention the grip was a pretty big sign. So, discretely, he pulled her off to the side and inquired. He leaned towards her, whispering with concern in his voice. "What's wrong?"

She bit her lower lip and tried not to wrong out her hands like a ninny as she admitted it to him. "I can't dance."

He blinked. Had he heard right? Here he assumed something was wrong with the genjutsu. "What? How? You danced for Rin in Konoha."

She shook her head. "That was different. I mean..." She sighed. "I know _how_ to dance... it's just..." She frowned and bit her lip again, her eyes darting to the crowd. "It's like I said before. I can handle taking out the enemy in the field. I can detach myself easily if I chose to. You have to as a medical nin. You have to as ANBU. And like any officer in the unit I was taught how to cope with these sorts of situations. I just..."

"You don't like them."

She nodded, half closing her eyes. "I think I can handle eating a meal across from the man I'm suppose to kill. That I've prepared myself for. Dancing with them? That's not something I gauged myself for, Crow."

He half smiled. "Cherry?"

She looked up at him as he grabbed her chin and tilted her head upward. Her wide eyes met his, half drowning as she forced down yet another blush. Once again, the tables were turning; and with little encouragement from her he was lifting her up to where she needed to be unexpectedly. "Yes?"

"You've done this before haven't you?"

"Yes, but--."

"Then don't worry about it. You're a shinobi of Konoha, an agent of ANBU and you one of the strongest women I know. Where's that confidence I saw in you just days ago? Yelling at me to take care of myself? To quit doubting you? Are you saying you were wrong?"

"No, I--."

"Then keep proving me wrong," he whispered, ghosting a kiss across her forehead.

This time she couldn't keep the blush down or the wide eyed doe look that continued. How did he do that? Where was this all coming from? What prompted the sudden change? And why was she questioning it so much? Isn't this what she wanted? Didn't she want that strong man back in her life? The one who was not only her teacher, her friend, her mentor but also the one who loved her as no other had before?

Yes.

_Then quit acting like a twelve year old Genin, Haruno and roll with it!_ Her mind cried out. As he smiled and gently led her across the room to the dance floor, she did. Once more, his words helped her do what needed to be done.

She grinned as he pulled her into the dance, one hand in her own and another on her hip. Just as before when they moved in the training gym, they were as one.

What was goin on with him lately? Was any of this ok? holding her like this? Helping her reach that level of self confidence she'd obviously helped him climb to? As he looked down into the soft yet bright red eyes of his partner, knowing how green they were underneath, he couldn't help but tell himself yes; yes it was perfectly alright. His chest felt free from a burden he couldn't place. His mind was lost and rooted in place all at the same time.

He didn't know what had changed since earlier... but he knew it right. It felt right. And there was nothing wrong with once again helping Sakura find herself, just as he had while he was her teacher.

And as her body came flush against his own he couldn't help but lean down, pressing his cheek to her own while he closed his eyes and allowed the moment to wash over him.

Sakura closed her eyes as well, smiling as he drew in closer. For the first time in nearly two weeks she felt... at home. His warmth washed over her, bathed her senses and kept her spinning on the edge once more. This time she could let herself do so. This time she didn't have to worry about words getting in the way. And this time... she was happy. Euphoria was a sound of colors around her. Every touch, every whisper, every bit of this pricked at her skin and assailed her senses. There were no other dancers, there was no mission. There was only her and him, enjoying what they could.

She was lost and unafraid. She relished the feel of his hand ghosting across her lower back, pulling her flush against him. It was rather unexpected, all of this. And yet none of it felt wrong. She wasn't going to stop him to remind him that he might not be ok with this. She might be selfish, but it was for all the right reasons.

Sadly, just as soon as the moment started, it was gone.

Kakashi pulled back and continued to smile, but she could see something else there. "We need to formulate a plan for tonight," he whispered lowly as he pressed his temple to hers.

She nodded, turning with the music, pushing down the small void she felt over his change of pace. As much fun as it would be to keep doing this they did need to get back to business. As Kakashi said, this was a prime opportunity. "What did you have in mind?"

His eyes scanned the crowd. Well, his one good eye. But both appeared open. "Lord Setsuna and his wife are heading our way right now."

"What?" She turned to look, but he held her fast as he led her off the dance floor.

"Just make good conversation and I'll do the rest."

There wasn't anytime left to reply. They were already right on top of them as they exited the floor together; Sakura's arm firmly held in his own. Sakura smiled as best she could as they made their greetings, bowing. "Lady Asa, Lord Setsuna," she said cordially as Kakashi remained silent.

"We weren't sure you were going to appear," Lady Asa said with a kind smile. "Dai-sama explained to us the importance of keeping your identity hidden."

This was the woman Kakashi suspected of murder? She understood his questions now. She looked almost too petite to be a murderess. If she were a ninja, Sakura would think twice. Then again, you didn't need to be a shinobi or have to appear a certain way to do evil things. Still, she understood. The woman gave off a warm, radiating aura that made Sakura feel loved and welcome.

"You can be assured, My Lady, we're most definitely not revealing anything about real faces tonight," Kakashi provided with a soft smile.

"Interesting," Lord Setsuna replied with a curious raised brow. "A technique, I assume?"

"You could say that, My Lord," Sakura spoke with a similar small smile that matched her partner's. "We shinobi utilize many techniques to complete a mission."

"Yes, we've been told," Lady Asa agreed with a tentative smile that almost matched Sakura and Kakashi's.

"Speaking of which, despite losing yesterday you both did quite well," Lord Setsuna said without a shred of sarcasm in his voice.

After making a look over of the ebony haired beauty with blue eyes and soft features Sakura then turned her attention to her husband. He was tall, robust and reminded her a much less lecherous version of Jiraiya. He looked to be in his late thirties. His hair was silvery, but not receding. It was long and tied back respectfully. His facial hair was clipped and groomed to perfection in a Japanese-style goatee. His eyes were as blue as his wife's but much darker. Based on what she'd seen of his bother's dead body, he looked a lot like him.

"Thank, My Lord," she murmured.

"You're quite talented, Cherry-sama," Lady Asa went on. "Are all women shinobi as well trained in battle as yourself?"

"Some are, yes," Sakura replied. "Have you never been to a Chuunin Exam tournament?"

"Ah well," she replied looking slightly put off, "The late Daimyo's father did before he passed away. I was still unmarried and working on my studies. Because of this I did not have time."

"Studies?" Kakashi inquired with a furrowed brow.

"My wife doesn't like to discuss it," Setsuna provided with a grin. "She's hates to brag, but before we married she worked for my brother as the capital botanist. Her work has allowed us to make as much of jump in income to the city."

"Oh?" This from Sakura.

He nodded and Asa frowned. The Lady turned to Sakura and explained. "He's making more of it than it is. I simply helped produce better plants for the silk worms to digest. This provided a better quality silk. Simple really."

"You're a doctor then?" Sakura couldn't help but ask, genuinely interested.

Asa smiled. "Well, yes, I am. I suppose if you want to call it that."

"You should show her your greenhouse, love," Setsuna provided.

"Well... I..." Suddenly Asa looked quite nervous.

"Would that be possible?" Kakashi pushed with a curious voice. "Cherry loves to learn. Especially if it might help her produce herbs for use in the field."

"Are you a botanist as well, Cherry-sama?" Setsuna inquired, rubbing his chin, not once noticing his wife's concealed distress.

Kakashi did notice however and pipped up before Sakura could answer. "A medical nin, actually. She's been studying herbs to help delay the affects of poisons and... biological disease." This wasn't exactly a lie, but the last bit was added on the basis of a hunch.

Asa's eyes widened a slightly. It took her a few short moments longer before she simply schooled her features away and went back attempting to look as innocent as ever. She forced a smile, as nervous as it was. "I suppose I can't say no then. Well," she turned to Sakura. "If you do well tomorrow would you like to come by in the evening and check out the greenhouse? Say... nine?"

Sakura blinked. "Why so late, My Lady?"

"You don't know?" Lord Setsuna asked. At their curious gazes he explained. "Because of some business my nephew has with Waterfall village the match had been pushed to seven in the evening."

"Waterfall village?"

The nobleman nodded. "I don't know the details, but supposedly they're here to inquire about some missing nin in our borders. Honestly, I think it's just a formality. I doubt very seriously we have any within our walls. What could they possibly want with us?"

What, indeed, Kakashi pondered.

"You'll have to excuse us, ANBU-samas," Setsuna explained as he took his wife's arm once more. "We have other guests to greet."

"Us as well," Sakura replied and looked over at Lady Asa with a smile. "Tomorrow at nine? Where should I meet you?"

"I'll send a maid to fetch you, Cherry-sama." And then they were waving goodbye.

Both Sakura and Kakashi waited until they were long gone in the crowds. It was then she whispered over at him. "I think you might have been right."

"About the wife?"

She nodded. "And now Waterfall... do you think the Mist nin are criminals?"

"It's possible," he agreed. "But if that were true they would have already been found out. Something else is going on here. Something we're overlooking." He tapped his chin. "And I'm still not sure about Asa-sama."

"How can you not be?" Sakura looked over at him. "She looked nervous about showing me her greenhouse at all. She's hiding something."

"But is she the one? Look underneath the underneath, right?"

"Right.. but--."

"There's still that girl Casandra. Don't forget about her." He supplied sternly. "So far all Asa seems is overly nervous about something. Don't play her as the guilty party just yet."

Sakura moved to speak again, but just as she did the two Mist nin walked by, smirking as they eyed both her and Kakashi. She snapped her mouth shut and narrowed her eyes. Once they passed the dinner call was announced and people began to move to another part of the room and through a set of double doors.

"C'mon," he urged, pulling her am in his own. "We'll talk about this tonight. Privately. For now just keep doing what your doing."

ooo

As expected both she and Kakashi had been seated near the Daimyo, the Mist nin, Lord Setsuna and Lady Asa. And the entire time, she couldn't help but notice how much Lady Asa not only avoided her eyes and Kakashi's.... but the Mist nin as well. If she had to place the emotions written in the woman's eyes it would be ones of torment and regret; as though she were upset with them. And why should she be? After what Kakashi told her you would think the woman would be happy they'd won her husband the first match.

As for Lord Setsuna? He appeared utterly oblivious, too concerned with trying to keep on good terms with his nephew. Which, when one considered everything, was no easy feat. How did they do it? If she were angry with her friends or relatives she would be outright showing her anger. Thankfully, this was a mission and she wasn't related to any of them. So it wasn't her emotions on the line.

Dai-sama was great at being a peacemaker. You could see the hurt and worry in his eyes all through dinner. But he did plenty to try and keep things in a cordial mood, commenting on the financial status of Waterfall and how well things were going in regards to their exports and imports.

Kakashi did a good job of keeping the conversation going between him and the Daimyo. Sakura did not remain quiet. But she was no where near as vocal as some others.

She _was_ slightly taken back with the silent Asa started a conversation with her.

"Do you enjoy being a doctor? Or is hard being both a ninja and a healer?"

Sakura finished the bite in her mouth and turned to the woman, lowering her voice below the others at the table. "What do you mean, My Lady?"

"Well..." she said tentatively, looking a bit less sure of herself than hours ago. "It can't be easy, I'd imagine. Your hands are meant to heal, not harm. How do you deal with both sides of it...and..."

Sakura smirked as she moved food around on the plate. "And still manage to sleep at night?"

Asa nodded.

"I was a shinobi before I was a medical nin, Asa-sama. But being a medical nin is a bit different than being a regular doctor. We're taught to deal with both sides of the field. We have to think abstractly."

"That still can't be easy."

"It's not. But that's the life I live."

She nodded, folding her hands in her lap and looked down at her half empty plate.

"And you?"

"Me?"

"Well yes, you. It can't be easy being a Lady in court as well as botanist. You have a lot to juggle," Sakura supplied.

"You have no idea," Asa said with slight remorse in her voice. And Sakura was quite sure she hadn't meant to let that slip, whatever the tone meant. But her smile was quick to return, however weak."I do love my work, though. Plants are much easier to deal with than people."

"You appear very good at that though."

"Being good at something and enjoying it are two different things."

"You don't like being Lord Setsuna's wife?" She blinked.

Asa's eyes widened. "Oh, no! I didn't mean it like that," she whispered harshly. "I just mean..." Her eyes down cast.

"The politics?" Sakura offered softly.

"Yes."

She nodded in understanding. "I don't think I'd want to be in your place for all the Ryo in Fire Country."

Asa chuckled softly. "You're not what I expected, Cherry-sama."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "My mother use to tell me ANBU were cold, emotionless machines. You're far from it."

Sakura's lips twitched slightly. "Well, to do your mother credit, we're entirely different in the field."

"Obviously, but you're still not what I expected."

Similarly, Sakura began to wonder the same in regards to Lady Asa. The expression, 'the plot thickens' seemed more than appropriate to her. And she couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was a lot more than going on here than what she had originally assumed, as Kakashi said. Asa appeared as loving and caring as she had at first sight. But was she really?

On a side note, at least she hadn't had to dance with any of the Mist nin. Internally, she shuddered at the thought. Even dancing with Gai was more appealing.

Trust me.

ooo

"I think you're right," Sakura stated as she tossed the robes over a chair and stripped down to her chest wrappings and underwear. She pulled a night shirt over her head and then turned to face him. He wasn't replying to her at all. Instead, as she turned to look, she found him eying her in the most unusual fashion. "Is something wrong?"

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

He placed his hands on hips. He was still half dressed but his mask was once more on after she closed her eyes and dropped the genjutsu. "That's at least the second time in the past few days I can name that you've changed in front of me. Granted, you didn't strip down entirely... but one still has to wonder..."

She blinked. "Would you prefer if I didn't?"

"I'm just wondering why you do. It's as if you don't care who sees you like that."

"Do you?"

"Care?"

"Yes. Do you?"

He shrugged and sighed. "It's your body Sakura. You can do what you please with it," he muttered, moving to grab his things.

She frowned slightly, narrowing her eyes. What was that about?

"What were you asking me about?" He moved to sit down and take off his tongs.

And now he was changing the subject. Should she let him? It was more Naruto's style to prod about things. Not her's. But this was Kakashi she was thinking about. "Kakashi... does it bother you I'm comfortable with my body?"

He sighed again and dropped a shoe on the floor. "No, not at all."

"Kakashi--."

"I'd rather not talk about it. We have more important things to worry about besides who sees you naked."

Her eyes widened slightly at that. What the hell was that suppose to mean? He'd been perfect and more like himself all evening. And now... what the hell? He was acting like Naruto the first time she--oh.... She smiled. He didn't know it, but she did. It was the first flare of jealously she'd ever seen from him. He was worried she did this all the time, with anyone.

"Don't worry, Kakashi," she said with air of coyness, "I'll only let you see me naked." She winked and nearly laughed like a maniac as he stared at her, wide eyed. Yes, both eyes. It was then she jumped the subject back to reality, happy to have shocked the hell out of him. "Anyway, I was saying I think you're right."

"Huh?"

"About Asa... I don't think she's the villain in all this."

"Oh... yeah," he shook his head as he replied from his place in the chair. He rubbed a few fingers through his erratic strands that defied all gravity.

"I think something else is going on here. However, I think the key to finding it all out is in her."

"So what do you want to do? You sound like you have a plan," he prompted, his good eye following her as she moved to sit across from him at the small table.

"I'll go see Asa after the match tomorrow."

"If we win."

"Which we will," she affirmed with a frown. "You'll keep doing your end of the work until we get word back from Shino. I expect he'll reply by tomorrow evening or the day after. He's pretty fast when he wants to be. And I made to sure to tell him it was important."

"Alright." He nodded. "I'll see if I can't speak with those Waterfall ninja tomorrow. Thankfully, because of Kushina-sama were on excellent terms with them. Hopefully they have some sort of connection about what's going on here."

"Good. For now... sleep?" She offered with a hopeful smile.

"Definitely."

When they both finally laid down and turned down the lights Sakura couldn't help but noticed how this time Kakashi didn't keep space between them. Instead... he curled right into her back and held her to the front of his chest as if he never wanted to let her go.

Perhaps her happy ending wasn't too far away after all.


	53. Chapter 53

**..Chapter Fifty-Three..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_What if I told you_

_It was all meant to be_

_Would you believe me,_

_Would you agree_

_It's almost that feelin'_

_That we've met before_

_So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy_

_When I tell you love has come and now..._

**..**

**.**

The next day went on rather slowly for Sakura and Kakashi. They did another hour or so of practice by themselves. They ate breakfast together. They talked more about the mission. But aside from that, nothing major. Kakashi had sent word to Dai about speaking with the Waterfall nin. And kindly, he said he could see them just after the meeting around noon. Apparently they were busy with their own mission but would do their best to give him a word. Thank Kami for Kushina.

While he waited to leave in his hand currently was held a pen as it traced out words into an open book with plain white paper. The year was listed at the top, the day and the time thereafter. After all of that was a name. After that the usual letter about the going ons and happenings. For a long time his writing had wrapped around a certain young girl with bits and pieces about his two other brash team mates. From there it had drifted to mere sketchings about his life and whole team. As they years went by it became less about Sakura and more about how badly he wanted to get into ANBU, search for Her and finally be happy. And now? Once again, that little book began to hold writing talking about his pink haired partner.

He talked about how angry he'd been when she'd replaced that spot. He talked about the mission in his letters over the last few days. But now, without him really knowing, it talked more about his admiration of her. Every sentence gave a small hint here and there about his real feelings without even realizing it. Each word told of how he cared about her, adored her, enjoyed being with her and loved her. It was amazing how one person could say one thing so loudly in so many words and not even have any idea of what he was saying.

Love, to many people, was a fickle and waning emotion. The average person could fall in love any number of times. In childhood, as you grow and make mistakes, learn and live, you fall in and out of love as quickly and as passionately as the changing of the seasons.

However, if you were Hatake Kakashi, you loved only one woman. You would have slept with only one woman. And despite having fallen in love with 'someone else' without even knowing it, you would never be fickle. At least your heart wouldn't be.

Of course, all of these things did little to stop him from looking up from his pages, good eye trailing after a well built form as she wandered about their room half dressed.

He would deny it for another day or to, but he _had_ been jealous the other night. To him it was merely a comment made out of concern. As a friend and someone who'd once been her teacher it wasn't entirely unusual. As a ninja? He might be laughed at. He knew just as well as anyone else the duties the job required. Any shinobi might be required to be with less clothing in any situation if it called for it. And mindfulness to decorum was out of the question. Sakura was right. He was wrong. But that still didn't stop him from worrying about her. It was one thing to take such liberties if the mission required it, it was another to do so in the company of friends as if it didn't matter. It did. She was still a young woman. A beautiful young woman who could be taken advantage of under the wrong pretenses.

What if it wasn't him in this room? What if it was some other shinobi with loose morals? Someone who mistook her normal behavior as a green flag in his direction? It drove his mind batty to think about it. It unnerved him in a way he'd never felt before. And as this dear author told you previously before, to him it was out of shear protectiveness, not jealousy. And for this reason, he assured himself, he broached the subject.

"Sakura?"

"Hm?" She looked up from the bed where she sat cross legged, files in hand.

"Do you dress that way in front of everyone?"

And then she smirked at him. Smirked! He did not find it the least bit amusing. And it took everything in his not to frown.

"This again?" She chuckled and looked down at her papers again. "If I didn't know any better, Hatake, I'd say you were... jealous."

He blinked as the words left her mouth. Jealous? Was she serious? "I'm not jealous. I'm concerned."

"Mmm.." was all she said as she read from her papers.

"Aren't you worried at all someone might get the wrong idea?"

"About us?" She grinned shamelessly and this time he did frown.

"No," he muttered. "I mean..." he tried to think of the right words as his hand paused writing. But it wasn't easy. Everything his mind came up with did sound like a jealous remark. "Well, that is... "

As he found himself at a loss for words she started laughing softly. And while he found the sound attractive, unbeknownst to him, the reason for the sound was grating on his nerves. So he gave little thought to the attractive aspect of it. "This isn't funny."

"Oh, I disagree," she chuckled out, covering her mouth with a hand to conceal her mirth. "You're worried someone's going to get the 'wrong idea'," she made a point of using the quote gesture, "and take advantage of my naive female sensibilities." She snickered. "I'm a shinobi, Kakashi. Do you know how ridiculous you sound? If it were anyone else but you, you'd be laughing too."

He sighed and relaxed into his his seat. His pen was dropped on the table. "Forgive me for being worried."

"Oi... Kakashi, don't be grump," she grumbled out. "If it makes you feel any better I don't just do this with anyone." She pointed at him as if to emphasize. "I only get this comfortable with selective team mates. Namely Sasuke, Naruto and you. I've spent the last six years or so on the same team with you three. Why should I hide anything from you? Especially when I trust you all with my life? I think that's a bit more serious than showing a little skin, don't you?"

She was right, of course. They had been a team for a long while, even if it wasn't on ANBU. And there was no reason why he should be bothered by the sight of her in barely anything but a skin tight shirt and her underwear. But he _was_. And he couldn't explain it if you asked him to. The idea of anyone seeing her like that just... bothered him. Even if it was Sasuke and Naruto.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "You really don't show that much skin with anyone else...?"

She shook her head, smiling softly as she went back to her paperwork. "No, I really don't."

And once again, as if nothing had happened, all was silent once more. He picked up the pen with little more left to say and she went back to her studies. It was funny how that worked out. But, he supposed after over six years of being on the same team he really did have little to worry about in regards to Sasuke and Naruto. Sakura had long grown out of her crush over the ebony haired Uchiha. And as for Naruto? Well, these days he appeared more interested in the Hyuuga heiress than anyone else. No, if anything, they would be more likely to beat someone down if for taking advantage of their pink haired team mate rather than being the ones to do it. So, in truth, it was no real surprise that the 'jealous' part of his subconscious quieted down.

"So, what are you doing?" Her voice suddenly called out to him across the room.

When he looked up she wasn't even gazing over at him. All she did was sit there, still going over the papers laid out in front of her.

"Writing," he suddenly replied, not really knowing why.

Her nose wrinkled slightly. "I thought you hated writing. You always hated mission reports."

"Yes, well," he mused out as he started to explain, "those are a bit different."

"Ah..." She nodded. "Well, whatever you're working on must be important. You've written in that thing at least once everyday since I've known you. At least when you weren't in the hospital."

He nodded, open palm supporting his chin as he started down at his words.

"What it is, if I can ask?"

He didn't respond right away, debating if he should at all. His pause must have been a long one, because she was talking again.

"Nevermind. I understand if it's private."

"No, it's fine," he murmured back. "They're letters."

"You're writing a book of letters to someone?" This time she did look over at him, eyes curious and lips formed in a half frown.

He dropped his pen on the table again. His body took a very Sasuke like mannerism. His hands were interlaced in front of his face. His one good eye was soft with emotion. And much of his hair fell flatter than usual; adding to the darker, but not nearly as broody wave he gave off. Actually, he looked happier than normal, but certainly not Naruto happy, of course.

"You could say I have this sense of hope I might get a response back someday."

Sakura nodded, but didn't frown. She could see this wasn't him being unhappy. If anything he looked to be thinking of a fond memory. It was a grand change from the broody sadness she was use to. "I hope you do too, Kakashi. Is this your only book?"

"Oh no," he chuckled out, resting both forearms on the table top. "There's quite a few more. I know I've filled one good size traveling chest already."

Sakura's eyes bulged slightly at that admission. "A whole chest? You've written that many?"

He half smiled. "Pathetic, huh?"

"No... I..."

"You don't have to lie on my account, Sakura."

She shook her head, "Actually... I think it's rather romantic."

At first he just stared at her. His eyes drew over her face. He scanned her features, her eyes, her hair line, her lips and even the outline of her face. By the time he was done, eyes meeting her own, Sakura got the distinct feeling he was looking right through her. It took everything in her not to figit.

"Kakashi?" She blinked.

He shook his head and smiled. It was warm, soft and telling. But entirely unreadable to her.

"I'm sorry. I suppose I drifted for a moment." He sighed, but his smile never waned. "Honestly, though, you don't have to humor an old man."

She frowned again and this time placed her papers down. "I'm not humoring you. And old?" She chuckled. "You are not old, Kakashi."

His brows raised. "I'm thirty-two, Sakura."

"Your point?"

He snorted. "Now I know you're pulling my leg."

She rolled her eyes, grinning all the way. "If you were old you'd be retired. Shishou is old... you're just... gracefully aged."

He laughed this time. "Don't let Tsunade hear you say that."

"She'll skin my hide, I know. I'm sure you'll keep my secret won't you?" Her voice was teasing.

He chuckled softly. "It might be good blackmail later."

She got up off the bed, her mouth in the shape of a wide 'o' as she came over to him. Wisely, he got up in a hurry and placed the table between the two of them. "Just remember now, I know where you sleep."

"Threatening me now, are you?" His voice danced with humor. "Don't forget who taught you nearly everything you know."

"Oh, I haven't, _sensei_." And with little thought to her actions she was chasing him around the table, fainting her actions before moving the other direction. As she did this he slipped just out of her grasp, moving to climb over the bed. Sakura grinned as her papers went flying, caring little about the documents as she grabbed for his ankle. But when she moved to pull him towards her he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Before she could cry out in unfairness of his use in a shinobi tactic she found herself on her back, a hard chest pressing into her own.

Both of them laughed as she squirmed. He reached for her wrists and held her down. Both of them laughed and panted as their breaths mixed and mingled, fanning across each other's faces.

"You cheated," she said with a grin.

"Did I?"

"Mhm..." she went on, nodding slightly as her cool greens met with his mitch matched orbs of black and red. "You're not allowed to use shinobi techniques when you're playing, Kakashi."

"Is that what we're doing?"

And then she was laughing in response. She smiled up at him, meeting his gaze. And as this happened her smile slowly waned. She watched as his did as well; as his gaze slowly traveled across her face, finally landing on her lips. And as his eyes slowly narrowed, falling to hers again she realized just how close they actually were.

She could feel the rise and fall of his chest pressing against her own. She could feel his thighs pressed into hers, one leg unintentionally spreading her legs. She felt as the grip on her wrists softened and as one of his thumbs rubbed the delicate softness of her skin. And she nearly jolted as his nose brushed against her own.

She wanted to to do something. She wanted to say something. But everything in her froze. She didn't know what to do. Her first reaction was to just kiss him as she always had; to reach for him and touch him as she had wanted to for over a week. But that other part of her, the one that worried what it could mean for him and what he didn't know... told her to stop. She still had a long way to go in this and one kiss could screw everything up for her.

But he still wasn't moving. He was just staring at her, holding her gaze and unmasking her with his eyes. And even the taste of spandex between their lips wasn't enough to make her want to stop that feeling of _wanting_ to kiss him.

She opened her mouth to speak and one shattering noise broke the entire moment.

"Cherry-sama! A fight bird came in today with a package for you!"

"Wha..." her voice rasped out incoherently.

It seemed enough to shock Kakashi out of his daze. Because he was nearly tripping over himself trying pull his body off of hers.

Sakura got up just as quickly, smoothing out the mess she called her hair. She coughed a few times to clear her throat and walked across the room to the door. "Just leave it there. I'm not decent."

"Alright, My Lady!"

She listened as someone dropped something on the floor. She patiently waited as the sounds of footsteps wandered down the hall. She waited another moment and put on her mask just in case before opening the door and grabbing the small brown box on the floor.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked as she locked the door.

Sakura scanned the labeling and a grin lit up her face. "Shino. He must have worked all through the night to get this to me this quick. Damn, I owe that bug user a world of a favor when I get home." Forgetting all about the moment from seconds ago she walked across the room and took off her mask. Kunai securely in hand the box was dispelled of all traps and cut open. The first thing that came out was a small letter. This she set aside and looked through the rest of the box. In it were several sealed containers of some sort of samples. One held a plant sample. Another, what looked like one of his chakra sucking bugs. The final container held a rather large, but slightly different, version of the same bug. She blinked at it.

"Well... I suppose you should read the letter."

"I guess so..." she agreed. She reached for the folded item and flipped it open.

_Sakura,_

_I sent this to you as quickly as I could manage. But, don't worry, all of the documentation was on file. It wasn't that hard to get. But, honestly, the sample you sent me really jarred my senses. Wherever did you find such a rare creature in that state?_

_By now you've noticed the samples. And you're probably wondering why I sent them. The first one is of one of my deceased bugs. The second is of a rare plant only found in the far reaches of the deadliest cliffs in Cloud. It only grows under certain conditions; specific ones. And the third item? That would be your culprit._

_I know you must be shocked. I was as well. So let me give you the full story._

_The bug you encountered is of a rare breed that until recently was thought to be extinct. It depends on the plant I sent you to survive. You see, these particular plants use a mass amount of energy to grow and survive. So much so, it slowly kills itself. This particular bug allows it survive by becoming a helpful parasite. It sucks away the extra chakra and grows inside the blossom of the plant. After a few months, the plants blooms and the bug or bugs, leave. By now both the plant and the insect or insects are fully matured and no longer need one another. The bug will then move on to breed with others, lay it's eggs in a young plant before dying._

_Neither specimen has a very long life span, unfortunately. And because of the harsh conditions they survive in there are very few of them left, which is why they are so rare and why I was so shocked by your discovery._

_In fact, my species of chakra sucking bugs is a direct descendant of your specimen. Which is why I sent you the extra sample. I understand the need to keep your mission confidential, but if you ever feel up to it, I would love to one day hear the details of it. All the information you need to know about all three samples has been placed in another letter in the bottom of the package. Should you have any questions I'm sure the scientific documentation I made copies of can assist you._

_~Shino_

Sakura blinked. "Well... "

"More questions or less?" He asked as they both finally took a seat back at the table.

"You read it and tell me." She handed him the letter.

It didn't take him long to get the picture as he scanned the lines. He frowned slightly. "You're wondering about Asa again."

She nodded. "I don't want to say the woman is guilty, Kakashi... but you read what Shino said. These bugs only survive under strict conditions with a certain type of plant. She's a botanist. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together."

"You're going to meet her tonight. Take the opportunity to not only probe her for more slip ups in conversation, but see if you can't snoop around her greenhouse as well. You saw how apprehensive she was about letting you in there last night. If she's hiding anything it's in there."

Sakura nodded as he stood. "You're probably right... Where are you going?" She watched as he began to put his armor on.

"Waterfall nin, remember? I have a meeting with them."

"Right..." she murmured a she pulled the final letter from the box. "Do you really think they're looking for the Mist nin?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Who knows. It's very possible Mist sent them a contract to take care of them. Waterfall is the most hidden of the shinobi villages and the most small in numbers, but they're definitely not without power."

"True... be careful," she urged him as he headed for the door. "And try to be back here before the match."

"Understood."

ooo

Kakashi made it into the room just as the Daimyo was leaving. He gave a quick bow as the boy-leader left and went in afterward. The doors were shut sharply behind. All three members of Waterfall village quickly stood in respect as he entered the room. Kakashi smiled as he came forward and took the older male's hand, shaking it with friendly robust.

"Crow, what a surprise. They told me some Konoha ANBU were in the city doing some work the Dai-sama, but I wasn't expecting you. Kami, how many years has it been? Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"I'm surprised you remember me at all, Rai. I wasn't expecting you either." He pulled his hand back and cross his arms over his chest. "Tell me, did everything turn out alright with your daughter and that Rock nin she was in love with?"

Rai snorted, rolling his dark brown eyes. "She still married him, if that's what you're asking. But not for my lack of trying to stop her."

Kakashi grinned. "I can't blame you. Kushina wasn't too happy to find out the favor you called in turned out to be nothing more than an elopement instead of the kidnapping we thought it to be. She swore for weeks she was going to kill her if she ever got her hands on her."

"I nearly killed him! And I still would if it weren't the brood of grandchildren they both sired for me. Anyway, enough of me. Are you here with that partner of yours? What was her codename... the one with the pink hair?"

"Ah..." Kakashi started, "not exactly... it's a long story I'd rather not talk about."

At the soft cough behind Rai the older male turned and realized his rudeness. "I'm sorry. Allow me to introduce my team." He gestured to the young woman first. "This woman with blond hair is Vaughn, former ANBU. She specializes in tracking. And this," he gestured to the male with darker brown hair, "is Zecks. He a profiler."

Kakashi arched a brow at that. "Nice to meet you both. But I don't believe I've ever heard of that title before."

"Not many have, Crow-sama," the young man spoke up. "But, in generality, my job is to know people." He smirked.

"Speaking of which..." Rai began, "You had some questions for us about the mission we're on? Information I hope."

"Can we sit down?" Kakashi asked.

"Please," Rai encouraged, moving to do so.

Once they were all comfortably seated across from one another Kakashi began his questions. "You're here searching for missing nin, correct?"

"Yes, we are. From Waterfall."

"Not from Mist..?"

"No, of course not," Rai explained with a curious look. "The shinobi we've been looking for have been missing for quite a time. Nearly ten to be exact."

"Ten, really?" Kakashi found this interesting. "Are they terribly powerful?"

"No, just terribly evasive," Rai muttered. "We've gotten several leads over the years. And each and everytime we get close to taking them out they slip us up."

"Do you have any idea why?"

Rai suddenly turned towards Vaughn. "Show him the files."

A moment later Kakashi found four separate folders in front of him. Each one was thumbed through carefully. Nothing of particular interest really grabbed at him. The first three were shifted to the side. But when he opened the last folder, just when he thought this mission they were on had nothing to do with his, a picture caught his eye and he paused. "Who is this girl?"

"Nami Casandra of the Nami clan in Waterfall. The three folders you looked through were members of her family who went AWOL with her," the blond woman provided.

"It says here they posses a bloodline technique... she doesn't?"

Rai shook his head. "No, she's the only one in her family who doesn't. The Nami's are shape shifters, in a manner of speaking. Which is why they're so hard to track. It's why they've been eluding us for so damned long."

Kakashi looked up at his old friend. "I might be able to help you. But, I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything."

ooo

Finished with the Waterfall nin left Kakashi with a overall productive day. They didn't like what he had in mind, but considering how much of a success their actions had been so far they were at least willing to try what he suggested. If Rai hadn't been an old comrade he doubted very seriously they would have been so patient. And if he didn't owe Kakashi, he doubted very seriously he would have agreed to what he ultimately wanted.

The rest of his day was spent following after Lady Asa. But as the hours passed she did nothing to raise a curious brow. Actually, everything she did was decently mundane by his standards. And he secretly longed for the orange book he'd left back in his room. It'd been at least a good day since he'd read anything from it; a record by his standards.

But if he planned to catch her doing anything she wasn't giving in. He just knew she had something to do with the 'Mist' nin. But until he caught her interacting with them he had nothing to validate his suspicions other than the little door in her room floor. He knew without a doubt her husband had nothing to do with the murder of his brother. But the samples in the room he shared with Sakura told him at the very least she knew something. The question was... was it against her will? Or was she doing all of this willingly?

As the hours passed by he quickly realized she wasn't going to let him in on anything today. He'd simply have to wait for Sakura to talk to her. And as he noted the time, if he didn't hurry he would be late to meet with her before the match. That was something he couldn't be late for.

So, with a disappointed sigh he quickly found himself back in his room. The very woman in question was already ready to go, snapping the last guard back into place. He couldn't help but note how her smile made him stir with certain joy, knowing he caused that.

"Ready?" She asked as the knock from the guards at their door sounded.

"Couldn't be more."

By the time the got into the stadium it was dark. The lights that lit up above and around them shone brightly down on the large circle that had been painted into the ground. The Mist nin stood to one side while he and Sakura stood on the other. The proctor stood in the center, several devices and two strips of cloth in hand. He wasn't sure, but, the small metal gauntlets looked like chakra draining braces. Why in the hell would they need those?

"Ladies and gentlemen," the proctor called out as the cries from the crowd slowly died down. It took a moment but when silence finally echoed in the stone walls he continued. "The rules for tonight's match have changed slightly. Tonight, each team will select one partner who will wear a blindfold. The blindfolded member will be the only one to fight. The unblindfolded member will direct the other via communication device which we will provide. Each combatant will be allowed to use only two chakra induced techniques. The bracers will stop further techniques. The fighters must stay in the ring. It will be the duty of their partner to see they stay within the bounds. The first man to be removed from the ring or incapacitated loses. Tonight will be a battle of strategy and skill." At these final words the audience let loose a cry of joy.

Eyes wide, Sakura looked over at Kakashi. Oh god, she hadn't been expecting this! What was she suppose to say? She didn't know what to do. And they only had a few minutes to decide. "Crow?"

He turned to look at her, eyes narrowed and filled with something she couldn't place. She just wasn't use to seeing it at all. And if she dared to say it... he looked like he had all those times when something really big had been thrown at them in the past. Something life threatening that demanded that if they weren't both right on par with one another they were going to die.

"I'll go." She had to. She couldn't possibly expect him to go out there and put all his faith in her. At the very least she might be able to do it if he believed in her. If he was the one leading her she could do it. It wouldn't be easy simply because she'd never fought blindfolded before... but she would do her damnedest. With his voice coaxing her she could do this. She had to.

"No, I'll go."

"What?" Did she hear him right?

"Have you ever fought with blinders on, Cherry?"

"Well... no..."

"I go the majority of my day without half of my sight. I'm more qualified to do this."

"You realize how much trust you're placing in me by doing this, don't you? I can't ask that of you. Not after agreeing to understand why you couldn't give it to me. It--." She felt his hand grip her upper arms and stopped speaking.

"I know," he whispered. "But I don't have much of a choice. We have to win this match."

She swallowed, staring up at him through the slits of their masks. Her voice was hoarse. "It's not just that, damnit! What if I mess up? You're depending on me. You'll have to follow what I say. How can you not be worried about this? How? How do you know it'll be ok?"

And then the grip on her upper arms tightened. And the next set of words that came out of his mouth more than floored her. "Because it's you. And I more than anyone, know what you're capable of."

She stared up at him and realized just how strong he was being for her. She knew this wasn't easy for him. He'd fought her tooth and nail for the past few days. And the only thing she'd agreed to let him keep a small grasp on in memory of 'Her' was his trust in her. It was like letting go of the final thing he had, the final sacred memory. Everything else had been literally ripped from him with little care or concern.

But he was doing it for her and for the match. He was going to place his trust him her. All of it. There was no way he could hold anything back in a match of this level. He would die. And because of what he was willing to let go of... she had to be strong; as strong as he was being for her.

"Alright," she whispered, forcing herself to feel better about all of this. It wasn't easy. But it was Kakashi. And that at least made it easier to swallow. He was depending on her. Just like she told him when they started this journey, if she made one wrong mistake his death would be on her hands. She would have no one to blame but herself.

She watched as he slid the blindfold down between his mask and tied it about his face. She watched still as the proctor reached between the two and checked the visibility with his fingers. Satisfied he put on his bracers and helped him put in the com device before moving over to the the Mist team.

Desperation filled her core. She reached for his arm and as he turned to face her she said, "I... I love you, Crow."

She could hear the smile in his voice. "I know."

She smiled sadly as he reached down and squeezed her hand. "We can do this."

"I know," she replied. "This just isn't the way I wanted to earn your trust as a team mate."

He didn't say anything after that. Because the proctor was giving her a com device before leading Kakashi out to the middle of the ring with the other Mist nin. He placed both of them a good five feet apart and moved to step out of the ring.

"On my call you may start. Combatants... ready... and.. Go!"

Sakura watched at the blindfolded Mist nin known as Lex reached for a kunai. She licked her lips and narrowed her eyes as she watched him. Really, she wasn't too surprised the guy who wore his headband over his eyes had gotten picked to fight out of the two. After all, he would be natural at this. And damn if it didn't give them both a disadvantage.

"Kakashi, take a three steps back," she whispered. "We're going to have to take him out fast since he's use to being blinded all the time."

"Understood."

"Take three shurikin from your pouch and aim them at his legs. He's directly in front of you. Can you aim it right or do you--."

"No, I can do it. I might not be able to see him but my sense of smell isn't too bad right now."

Thank Kami for small favors. "Alright.... now!" She watched as he took another few steps back. She fully expected the Mist nin to leap back, distracted. But he didn't nothing of the sort. Instead, he didn't actually moved at all until the shurikin were right on top of him. As he moved to the left Sakura had Kakashi do it again. Each time he threw a small weapon he moved almost a little to late.

It didn't make any sense. You'd think someone who walked around with a cover over his eyes all the time wouldn't move faster, not at the same speed Kakashi was. Was he really fully depending on his team mate?

But... why?

Her mind backtracked, thinking to the fight before and any time she saw the two men. She kept wracking her brain over and over. She briefly looked about the rest of the stadium as if it would give her some type of clue. Her eyes drifted over the trees, the grass, the sand, water and--wait... water. Her eyes briefly narrowed on one of the nearby ponds. The level was at least a good foot lower than normal.

It all clicked. "He can't see anymore than you can, Crow."

"What do mean?"

"The Mist nin, Lex. He's depending on Zen as much as you are on me. He's as blind as a bat right now without his chakra induced technique. He uses the water particles in the air to see like a Hyuuga uses the Byakugan to see the chakra system. I'm not sure when it last rained, but even with the waterfalls lowering the heat in the city, these walls are too high and enclosed to get much of it. Plus, they're white, which means they reflect and radiate heat like an oven. It's been baking in here all day. Unless he uses one of the two techniques available to him? He can't use water to see. He'd have to forcibly draw it out."

She could almost hear him smirking. "Then let's get moving, shall we?"

As much as they wanted to play it off like it was going to be easy, they both knew it wouldn't be. Both teams refrained from using chakra laced techniques long into the match for obvious reasons. And despite thinking the time was right several moments to use at least one Sakura always stopped short. But Kakashi didn't question it, much to her surprise. He let go and put all of his faith in her words. He didn't do anything she didn't tell him to; even dodging.

But they weren't exactly winning either. Despite all her hopes that the blinded Mist nin would have a disadvantage it appeared as though he wasn't any worse off than Kakashi. They were on an even playing field for now. But, if she didn't think of something soon to turn the tables they were going to lose.

She watched as he sidestepped the kunai thrown his way just like she told him to. But as she was telling him this something else happened. Something she hadn't been fully expecting. As the words to sidestep were still leaving her mouth the Mist nin performed a series of hand signs that she could only recognize as a summoning technique. But he was so bloody fast. And by the time she was telling him to move again it really was too late. Three small eels shot out and latched onto his legs and arms. And just like with her they sent a surge through his body that had him screaming in a way that tore at her.

The laughing that followed his cries was nearly enough to make her run out on the field and snap his neck. Damnit! Based on that Kakashi had told her she assumed he didn't have anymore pets!

"They're not nearly as big as Selene was, but three of them do the job just as well. Payback is such a bitch, isn't it, Cherry-chan?" He snickered. "He won't make it out of this one. You two are as good as dead."

She wouldn't be goaded by him. Not into doing something stupid. Kakashi was depending on her. The Daimyo was depending on her. Now was not the time to lose her head. The only way to truly get even would be to win. They had to win.

"Kakashi listen to me. There aren't many ways to get out of this. Those eels zap your chakra every ten minutes or so. If you try to remove them they just do it faster. With three of them on you... it's be a waste of time to do what I did..."

"What's the good news?" His voice rasped.

"Do you trust me?" There was a distinct pause on the other end of the line. "Look, I get this isn't easy. And normally I would ask you to. I know, in some small part of your heart it's the only thing you have left of Her. But right now I--."

"Yes."

And then it was her turn to pause. She closed her eyes and slowly exhaled. Despite how good it felt to hear that one word she needed to keep her head straight. "We only have two chances at this, alright?"

"I know."

So she went on to explain her plan. When she finished there was another distinct pause on the other end of the line. "Kakashi?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I know it will work. You just have to make sure it's timed right. Act only when I tell you to."

"Alright."

"Go."

Suddenly an electric shock began to cover Kakashi's body. The same technique he'd taught to Sasuke and his student had expanded. It ran across every inch of his skin, staring at his arm and running upward and over.

"Nice try," Lex muttered. "But I don't think so." At the very same moment his eels began to shock back, trying to throw off his own pulse.

As this happened Kakashi grit his teeth against the pain. "Cherry.." he muttered as he held on, waiting.

"Wait for it," she whispered sensing the chakras bounce off one another, trying to fight for control. They had to act at the right moment. But if he held on too long it could kill him.

"You idiot. Do you really think that's going to work? You'll die before you overpower my eels with such a raw technique."

But Sakura wasn't listening to him. She was listening to the bite of the lightening from either side and feeling out the power surges.

"Damnit..."

"Just a bit longer. Hold on," she urged him.

"Any longer and my body's going to fall apart!" He cried out harshly in a whisper. "Hurry--."

"Now! Do it now!" she cried out softly into the mic attached to her head.

"What the--." Lex was saying as his partner called out into his ear piece. But by then it was too late. Behind him Kakashi appeared, fully bolted in the electricity as it surged across his body. Without a second thought he was reaching out and pressing the full palm of his hand against his back, shooting the same powerful energy through his body in just the manner he'd been instructed. And moment later, Zen crying out in anger, Lex fell to the ground unconscious.

Shortly after, the clone ahead of him across the field disbursed and the eels dropped, also puffing out of existence. A cry shot out from the crowd as the proctor called the match. He ripped off the blindfold just in time to catch Sakura as she ran into his arms, shouting for joy.

He couldn't help the grin that ran across his she had been brilliant. He had to admit, synchronizing his energy with that of the eels had been difficult. But having her there to tell him when it was just right made it that much easier. And then allowing the clone to take his place, tricking the eels because of the sync and passing them off on the shadow clone's body? Only her mind could of conjured it. After that? Well, he'd just continued the technique and used the rest of the remaining blast to knock out the Mist nin via a little instruction on her medical minded part. He had no idea the Chidori could be used to knock someone's brainwaves out of wack. But there you had it.

And he couldn't of done it would her. He wouldn't have.


	54. Chapter 54

**..Chapter Fifty-Four..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_11th Year_

_Day 337_

_Time, 19:30 hours_

_Cherry,_

_I can't name the number of times in my life that I needed you with me, that I wanted you by my side. When I was covered in sand from a storm in Suna with no end in sight, when an avalanche nearly killed my whole team in Snow for the fifth time, when the water from the tsunami close to Wave almost broke the ship we were using to get to Mist. Each and everytime I always made it through because you were right there in the back of my mind. But, never in my life have I wanted you more by my side than in this moment right now._

_The moment I give my team mates their first form to try for the Chuunin Exams._

_We never had to do this, go through this bloody death match where the unfit are picked off like flies and only the strong survive to pass. Where the weak go home licking their wounds if they're lucky or die if they're not so lucky. Not that we were much better off. Shipped off from the Academy as soon as they deemed us ready for the battlefield; only to be promoted in rank by whomever our leader at the time was and only through the approval of the Hokage. Sarutobi was not an evil man by any standard... but sometimes I think the council put a little too much pressure on him and the demands of the war._

_At least in war nothing was predetermined. You weren't stuck in a forbidden area only to hack away at your friends. Friends you had grown up with, shared meals with, slept with in the same bed sometimes. No, at least in war your village wasn't your enemy._

_I understand why we do this Exam, but I still hate the idea of what I'm about to send them into. They've grown on me. I care about them as much as I care about Obito or Rin. What if one of them dies out there? Sakura has grown a lot over the last few months... and despite what I told Iruka in front of Minato-sama I still have a few doubts. I put on a good face for them all. I have to. I know their skills. I know what they're capable of. I know they can do this. But it still doesn't stop me from worrying._

_I won't be in there with them this time. I won't be able to save the day if something goes wrong. I want to talk to someone. I want to talk to you._

_I Love you._

_~Crow_

**..**

**.**

The hour was late by the time they left the Daimyo's meeting room. The Waterfall nin had slipped out in genjutsu disguises via the servant's entrance. All was set into motion. They had done their part. Kakashi had done his. The information was clearly laid out and approved by Dai-sama. If Sakura did her job, they would could go home the day after tomorrow.

The next fight had been moved up to tomorrow afternoon under the pretense that Dai-sama had pressing meeting to attend to on the day the fight originally was set to occur. Everyone knew the early date of the final match would raise a few brows. But more than anything they wanted certain people to get worried. Fear made you do stupid things. And people generally hated having their schedules upset when they had a devious plan working in the background.

She had to find the evidence she needed tonight. Lady Asa was already on edge. If Sakura was right the woman was caught between a rock and a hard place. Now all Sakura had to do was make that space even smaller. But without the right push she wouldn't be getting anything from the noblewoman.

About an hour or so later when the maid led her down the hall towards the other end of the palace these were the many thoughts that ran across her mind. But they were not the only ones. No, the other half of her mind was thinking about a certain former Jounin sensei of hers. A certain ANBU who currently held her heart in his back pocket like a worn love note he had yet to remember he'd placed there. Lately she wasn't sure where they were going with any of this. But he wasn't giving her mixed signals anymore. And, if anything, she would say his recent actions reminded her of his past self just a little bit.

He smiled more, he encouraged her, he believed in her. Then there were the innocent touches or brushes of his hand against hers. And when they trained it was almost magnetic. His happiness bounced off her in waves. It was during these moments most that she could truly feel him; that she could forget for a time that he didn't know who she really was. That they were back years ago in a place where he loved her with all his heart. Where they fought like two demons possessed and only traded insults as a form of half masked flirtation. Where playing good cop/bad cop with enemy shinobi was like a game. Where good jokes and jibes were passed back and forth between firelight. Where hogging the sheets was a nightly practice done between friends who'd turned into something more.

She was sure she'd said it to herself over a hundred times, but it just didn't feel like it was enough at all. He'd been her teacher, her friend, her mentor. Then when she went back in time he'd become her best friend; as close as she and Ino had been perhaps. She'd shared things with him she'd only half shared with Sasuke and Naruto. He'd slowly went from being her best friend to being something more. And then finally he'd become her lover. The things they shared with one another that final week together had been like nothing she'd ever dreamed of. It was something young girls only read about in novels. It was something you fantasized about. And when it all came true for her, with a man she would have never imagined with... it was surreal.

He was the same man that held her when she cried as a girl because of something hateful Sasuke had said to her during his personal torment. He was the same man she'd once scorned for reading publicly labeled porn _in_ public. He was the same man who ruffled her hair when she was twelve because he thought her words were cute. He was the same man who'd protected her when she wasn't strong enough to fight for herself. The same man who taught her how to find her own voice. The very same man who helped better her aim with a kunai. And she could recall at least one moment on a mission when he'd sacrificed his own manly buffer because of her pain and went into two to buy her a box of pads when she'd first started 'the curse'.

But he was also the same boy she'd comforted as he tried to hide his tears in front of Obito's grave, uniform stained in mud. He was the same boy she'd stood up to in the Hokage's office. The same boy who she'd helped learn how to use the Sharingan when Obito was still in the hospital. He was the same boy she'd laughed with as they lay out in the grass as 'children' and stared at the stars, making up their own constellations. He was the same boy who, as a young man had kissed her on the wall of Konoha, desperate not to be without her. He was the same boy she'd gotten her mask and sword with. The same one who led a team of dogs through snow as she comforted a small girl-princess.

Their relationship wasn't normal. He'd filled a role in her life that she considered vital in becoming the woman that made him into the man he now was. He'd been her teacher and then she became his. And here at the crossroads... after everything... she was sure of one thing and one thing only.

She was happy. He didn't know yet, but she was still happy. She felt like she did all those years ago when she'd tried denying how she felt. When one touch from him sent her to nothing but a pile of mush.

And earlier when he'd been pressed up against her... she had wanted to kiss him. Oh how she'd wanted to. She wanted to hold him, touch him, taste him, every inch of him. And if he had... well... she wouldn't have stopped him. Those were the moments she needed more of. That they both needed more of. Those random moments that made you feel like a teenager all over again; young, in love and on cloud nine.

In the path to finding each other they were retracing their steps. It was an experience she didn't mind at all. It was a road she would take her time in traveling.

"Cherry-sama, so good to see you."

Sakura blinked out of her thoughts and turned her attention to the woman before her. While she had been acutely paying attention to her surroundings despite her thoughts, she still found pulling herself from the momentary daze troublesome.

Before she knew it Asa-sama was right in front of her, the maid was gone and she was in the midst of a very warm greenhouse. She smiled warmly, taking everything in. "And you as well, Asa-sama." Her hands clasped behind her back as she looked about.

The ceiling was a good fifteen feet above the floor. Plants hung down in pots tied with rope. Before her rows and rows of them sat all over the place in organized, wooden bins rooted on the ground. There were flowers, vegetables, ferns and a few small trees.

"Well, shall I start by giving you a tour?" She offered with a smile, one hand behind her back and other other motioning her to follow.

"Of course, that would be nice," she agreed as she followed in step next to her.

"Alright, well, hm..." her lips pursed slightly as her brow furrowed in thought. "What would you like to know?" She chuckled. "I'm sorry. I don't do this very often."

"How did you get into plants? I suppose that's as good a place as any." She looked over at at her as they maneuvered down a long row at a slow pace.

Asa looked upward, reaching forward to brush aside the long leafy branches of a tall fern. "That's easy to answer. My grandmother. She taught me everything I know. But, I daresay she wasn't exactly like me."

"Oh?"

Asa nodded. "She wasn't as into the study of them so much as the benefits they could give others and herself. Despite what I choose to do with the knowledge she gave me, she wasn't upset it wasn't her path."

"She wasn't a botanist?"

"Oh no. not at all." Asa shook her head as they rounded a corner. Her fingers reached out and grazed the petals of an orchid. "Plants were a big part of her life. But they were more a passion than a career."

Sakura stopped to look at the orchids as she did. Her eyes fixed on the white of the blooming flower. "You appear to be quite interested in them." She half smiled. "You did tell me they were easier to deal with than people."

"Indeed," she agreed with a sigh as she stared down at the orchid a bit intently. "Plants depend on you just as much as people do. But they don't judge you. They understand your needs as much as you understand theirs." Asa looked over at her. "Surely you must know what it's like. Even you said being both a healer and a shinobi was not easy."

It was Sakura's turn to sigh. "I tend to think everyone knows that feeling, Lady Asa. It doesn't take being a shinobi or a noblewoman to know that hardship. But yes, it isn't easy. I imagine for you it can't be easy watching your husband fight with your Lord."

Lady Asa was quiet for a long while as she stared down at the orchid. Every woman knew that look reflected in another woman's eyes. Because, at least once in your life you looked the same way. Pained, filled with hope and torn in two different directions.

"Tell me, Cherry-sama," she said softly while not looking at her. "Have you ever started something you felt was the right thing to do when you started it... but then as time passed, you realized you weren't as right as you first thought? Have you ever wanted to turn back time and change how you did something, even if you knew that when you went back you really couldn't change anything at all? Even if you knew it was futile?"

"I have," she whispered as one longing memory swept her mind of a night not so long ago to her. A night that was years ago to someone else.

Asa suddenly shook her head and smiled as brightly as she could manage. She looked over at Sakura. "Goodness, listen to me. I'm terrible company today." She laughed softly. "I shouldn't burden you with my problems. I don't know why I keep doing that."

Sakura smiled softly in return. "I'm told I'm easy to talk to."

"That must make you an excellent shinobi, Cherry-sama. Well, since I've told you a bit about myself, would it be too much to ask you the same? Or would that break some sort of rule for you since you're ANBU?"

Sakura laughed softly as her worried yet curious expression. "I think I'm allowed to tell you some things, My Lady."

"Oh, good," she said happily as she took her arm and once more led her down another row of plants. "How did you become a doctor? You told me the night before you were a shinobi first."

It really wouldn't be good to give her too many details. For all Sakura knew she could be trying to work an angle to get some information on her and not just make polite conversation. However... if all went the way she wanted tonight any information she gave her wouldn't matter too much.

"I had two team mates in my younger years who were much better than me," she explained. "And to make a long story short, I didn't want to be left in the dust."

Her brow furrowed. "Becoming a doctor kept you from being left behind? That doesn't make too much sense." She looked over at her. "And why worry about being left behind? You look more than capable of anything you go up against."

She avoided the first question and went straight for the second. "You wouldn't have said the same thing about me if you had known me as a Genin. I'm different now only because I pushed myself to be. I didn't want to be a burden to my team."

"And you overcame that?"

She nodded.

"Because you wanted it badly enough?"

"Yes."

Asa shook her head and smiled sadly as she looked forward. "I wish I had your level of determination. It's very admirable."

"Thank you," Sakura replied. "But, it's not that hard to go for what you want and achieve it. The hard part is sticking to your goals; setting yourself to do something and then keeping with it."

"Yes, but if that goal is to overcome one person or a series of people it's not easy. Especially if those people are close to you; or if they're depending on you."

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she looked over at her. "Sometimes doing the right thing is never the easiest. But I think it's better to do what's best for you and what you think is right than to keep being miserable. Even if you don't succeed the first time at least you've started."

Asa nodded. "Yes, well, you make a valid point." She half smiled. "At any rate... we've hardly talked about my work here or the plants themselves. As a doctor who works with herbs you must have some questions."

"Actually," Sakura said as she pulled Asa to a complete stop and faced her. "I did. But it's about one plant in particular I need some help with." Now was the time to set the plan into motion; at least her part in it.

"Certainly. Ask anything you like. I'll help you in any way I can."

Sakura nodded and placed her hands behind her back. "I'm sure you've heard of the ﻿Aburame clan in Konoha?"

Asa's eyes narrowed in thought slightly. "No... I haven't."

"They're bug users. From birth the a newborn in the clan shares his or her body with bugs. But very particular bugs. They zap chakra from the clan member to a degree of survival. In exchange the clan member can use them as tools in shinobi battles. He or she can also communicate with these bugs."

Suddenly, Asa looked to stiffen only slightly. "Alright... but I hardly understand what that has to do with plants."

Sakura kept her tone inquiring and even. "A friend of mine, Shino, is a member of that clan. He's also a collector of rare species of bugs for use as a shinobi. I owe him a favor. He's looking for a rare breed of bug. But to find this bug he knows he needs a very special sort of plant." Sakura reached for a small plastic bag in her pouch. She pulled it out and presented it to Asa. "I don't know the name of this plant... but do you happen to have any here?"

As soon as the noblewoman's eyes caught sight of the plant sample her whole demeanor changed. She appeared to pale slightly and her mouth opened a bit. When she spoke her voice wavered an cracked. "I'm sorry. I can't help you. My time is short, Cherry-sama. If you have nothing more to ask me about I'll see you out?"

"Asa--."

The smaller woman took her arm in her s and quickly began to lead her towards the exit of the greenhouse. "I would call a maid to take you back to your room but I'm in a hurry, My Lady. I'm sure you understand."

Sakura turned swiftly and grabbed her upper arms. When she spoke, her voice was a whisper and rushed. "I can help you, Asa. I know you don't want any part of what's going on here."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered back, trying to pull away from her grasp.

Sakura could see the worry in her eyes. The fear. "I know you didn't kill your nephew's father. I know you're being pressured and feel like you don't have a choice. I know you're a good woman who loves her husband and desperately wants to do the right thing. But I can't help you if you don't let me, Asa."

"Stop it," she cried out softly. "Let me go, Cherry-sama." But her words were weak.

"Let me help you. Please."

"You can't help me," she said as tears started to fall and she stopped fighting. "No one can. And even if I tell you what's going on I'll be tried as a murderer. So, excuse me, My Lady, if I refuse."

She was strong, Sakura would give her that. "No, you won't," she whispered. "I told you. I can help you. But you have to trust me."

She shook her head. "I'll lose everything. My husband. My baby. My life here. You can't possibly promise me you'll help me keep that." Her lower lip quivered and shook. "Oh, Kami... I'm going to lose it anyway. If the Daimyo doesn't kill me my sister will."

"Asa, listen to me...!" She spoke sternly but softly. As her eyes caught with hers she explained. "You're right. You will lose everything. But only if you don't let me help you. If you cooperate nothing bad will happen. We'll protect you."

"Oh, Cherry-sama..." she breathed, more tears falling as she tried to smile. "You're a good woman. You're very kind. But once you know the truth... how you will hate me." And then she poured it all out, right there in the greenhouse as she clung to Sakura's shoulders.


	55. Chapter 55

**..Chapter Fifty-Four..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_This time, This place_

_Misused, Mistakes_

_Too long, Too late_

_Who was I to make you wait_

_Just one chance_

_Just one breath_

_Just in case there's just one left_

_'Cause you know,_

_you know, you know_

_That I love you_

_I have loved you all along_

_And I miss you_

_Been far away for far too long_

_I keep dreaming you'll be with me_

_and you'll never go_

_Stop breathing if_

_I don't see you anymore _

_--Nickelback, Far Away_

**..**

**.**

Reiko Dai was a man known by few as anything other that the late Daimyo's son. To those who did know him he was regarded and a man who was never prone to fits of rage. He was even tempered and usually soft spoken. When needed he could command as greatly as any leader. And the few times he had a woman in his life and she did leave him _and_ if he did see her with someone else, happy, jealousy was never a thought present in his mind.

He loved the warm weather his city provided most of the year. When it did snow during the short winter period he found nothing abrasive about it. He enjoyed reading in his free time and writing when it called for it. He was passionate about music and loved to play the violin. He disliked bullies, dishonesty as those who took to judging others.

However, to those who did not know him and to those who lived in his city the question of his ability to lead were many. When his grandfather had been alive he helped bring prosperity by exporting their silks all over the world. His father had continued this legacy and did very well in the stead of his grandfather. They were not just great leaders who were well liked by their people. They knew how to run things financially make sure Waterfall city did not fall under and to the wayside.

It was with these great men in mind that the council members had taken pause at his uncle's request. To those men he was just a pretty face who had yet to prove anything. As a young man growing up he'd had little contact with them yet. He was barely a month over sixteen and before his father died he'd only just started to introduce him to court. Hardly anyone knew of him or his abilities because his father made sure he spent much of his time studying.

Before the death of his father his uncle had been a major part of his life. He encouraged him, talked to him and gave him advice when he asked for it. Which is why he'd been so surprised when the same man who was more like a second father to him than an uncle had contested his rulership. This same shock forced him to challenge his uncle.

And that was why he was now taking his seat next to the man he still had a few doubts about, in a stadium full of spectators waiting for the final match and final word in who be the next man they called their feudal lord.

He still didn't have all the facts. And the ANBU team he'd hired were essentially keeping him the dark. Their justification for this was the less he knew until action could be taken the better. Because if something did come up and went badly he could not be faulted and would be expected to claim plausible deniability. He knew he could trust them. They'd been doing very well so far. But he was also still worried.

How could he not be? His entire future hung in the balance. If his uncle had murdered his father and he did take to the throne it would only be a matter of time before Dai found himself with the same fate as his father.

But, despite his fears, he didn't want to believe this about his uncle. His father had told him the greatest strength a man could know was his own intuition. As a leader you needed to hone the ability to read men most. And everytime he looked at his uncle his gut told him he was a good man. And that the reason for his odd behavior could not be due to evil intentions.

"You look well, nephew," he said kindly, smiling next to him. "Are you ready for the fight?"

Dai shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "As well as any man can be with his title on the line. And you?" He hadn't meant for it to quite come out that way. Dai was as he said; a soft spoken man with very little need for dramatic emotions. But as much as he'd tried to look at this whole situation from a logical, business minded pointed of view, he could not. He was angry at him. It wasn't a new emotion, but not one he indulged in often; at least if he could help it.

For a few weeks he'd been living with the fact that a man he cared deeply about was trying to take something from him; something that he use to tell him he believed he could do. It wasn't just the possibility that he'd murdered his father. It was the fact that someone he admired had lost faith in him.

Setsuna frowned slightly. His eyes turned to the field as he rubbed his chin. "Your team did very well yesterday."

"Thank you," he murmured, not really wanting to talk. He'd played nice with him at the dinner celebration because he hadn't wanted to lose face in front of his guests, his people. Leaders were judged by their merits just as much as their faults. And one thing he prided himself on was his control.

"I'm not doing this to hurt you, Dai," his uncle whispered next to him as he looked out at the empty field and the proctor.

"This isn't the place to talk about this."

His uncle frowned further and looked over at him. "Then when is, boy? The only time I've seen you since the coronation is during dinners, celebrations or meetings with other people. Everytime I try to call on you you're busy with something or resting."

Dai jaw tightened as he muttered back, "Did it ever occur to you I'd rather not speak to a man who's trying to steal my crown?"

"I'm not trying to steal anything, damnit," he hushed out sternly. "I'm trying to help you."

Dai snorted. "Really? You could have fooled me."

"Why must you be like this? It's not like you."

"Why?" He turned to look at him, eyes narrowing. "Why? Because you were suppose to be there for me. I trusted you. You weren't just my uncle, you were my confidant. You were by my side when my father was too busy to be. And now? After all the things you taught me? After telling me how much you believed in me? Do you know how that feels?" He turned away from him. "No, excuse me if I'm not a little... resentful."

"Is that what you think?" He was still whispering, but this time in disbelief. "I still believe in you, Dai. I always have. That's why I'm doing this. I don't want politics to hit you too soon. I don't want to see you mess up because this all came to you before you were ready, before you learned everything your father intended to teach you; everything I intend to teach you."

"The only thing you're doing is pushing me away," he ground out just before the bell sounded for the match to start. "Excuse me, I have a fight to announce." And then he stood up, holding his head high as he walked towards the balcony and greeted the crowds with a smile.

ooo

"What do you think they have in store for us today?" Her voice was full of humor. She was making an attempt at trying to lighten the mood. And considering this was their final chance, with the odds evened, stress was a forefront in her mind. Was it in his?

"Worried?" His voice matched hers slightly as they walked down the long corridor and he looked up from his little orange book. He appeared so nonchalant, so unaffected. As if he hadn't been stressing out over how to classify their relationship only just a few days ago, even a week ago. No, if anything, he looked as he always did. Accept this time, he wasn't holding her at arms length.

That she enjoyed. It was almost enough to make her forget; pretend.

She smiled, beamed. "How can I be? The great Crow will be with me."

He chuckled and continued reading, one hand in his pocket as he slouched lazily. "Really? For all you know they could blindfold us both this time. _And_ there might be terrible beasts involved."

She made her face take on a look of mocker seriousness. "Yes, of course. How could I forget that? We'll have to fight for our lives."

"There might be poisons."

"Or acids."

"Blood spilled."

"Innocents slain."

"Impossible odds."

"Near death experiences."

"Nothing we can't handle," he offered.

"All in a days work," she agreed.

He smiled slightly, smirking even as a comfortable, familiar silence settled around them while they drew closer to the open doors. He slowly put away his book and dug his other hand into his free pocket.

"I do love impossible odds," she said as they crossed the threshold. "Have I ever told you that?" She looked over at him impishly.

"You have now."

"And you?" She asked as the crowds screamed around them and they drew closer to the proctor in the center, meeting their competition.

"Do I what?"

She grinned at his evasiveness. "Love impossible odds. Really, Crow. Pay attention. I don't want to picking up your slack the _entire_ time."

"Really," he mused out as they stopped a few feet from the proctor. "Because, I was going to say the same about you." He grinned back.

She couldn't speak as the proctor began to do so. But she wouldn't have replied anyway. No, her hidden smile and internal laughter over his familiar banter was enough for her. She knew that mood. And it told her they would both do just fine today.

"Since today is the fight to decide the winning party I'll be withdrawing my normal announcement in favor of our lord speaking. Ladies and gentlemen," the proctor said loudly and with direction. "Please draw your attention to Reiko Dai as he tells us abut today's battle."

All four shinobi drew their eyes upward and towards the stands to where the proctor was motioning. Dai's voice boomed out over the speakers loudly enough for all to hear.

"First, I want to thank all of you for showing up to watch the tournament. The patriotism of our small but grand city knows no bounds." He paused as a cheer rose up for a moment. He waved hand to calm them down and smiled slightly. "As you all know, today's match will decide the winner of this three bout tournament. Not only that, but it will also decide who sits on the throne tomorrow. Regardless of whether that man is me... or Lord Setsuna, I wish our combatants the best of luck. All four of them. Now, as for how the match will work today...

"The first fight we had the honor of watching tested no real limits in our fighters. They were simply instructed to battle it out until there was a victor. The second got a little more complicated. Each team was forced to depend on the eyes of their partner to defeat the opposing team. But today, once more, they will be tested. And like the second match, teamwork abilities will be called into play.

"Instead of blindfolds and chakra bracers our competitors will be fixed with mechanical ankle bands. These bands will send out a powerful burst of electricity should they stray more than five feet from their partner. It will limit their movement and activities. But most of all it will force them to work together with little distance apart from the other."

As the Daimyo spoke each team was already being suited with their anklets. The devices they needed to call the match were also given out.

"Are the combatants ready?" His voice boomed out.

All four team member nodded as the proctor left the stadium.

"Then.... let the match begin!"

Cries from the spectators rang out across the stadium while both teams began to move.

Sakura charged her fist with blue energy and ran forward towards Lex. She was not going to give him the time to use to damned eels again. She'd break his hands first. She noted though, with little to say, Kakashi had followed after her and mutually went after Zen.

She made sure to keep him in the back of her mind as she began to attack Lex with taijutsu. She noted the air around him was a bit more humid than any place else in the field. To help him see, she noted to herself.

He was crafty, she'd give him that. So far he was dodging every blow she threw at him. She growled as he jumped back and her fist slammed into the ground, erupting dirt and rock. She felt the air thicken around her with dampness as she began to sweat. How was he seeing her every move so fast? She reached up and wiped the sweat from her brow.

Oh right... water.

Kakashi skidded somewhere close to Sakura, also noting that five foot distance he had to keep with her. He sidestepped as another arrow dipped in poison was fired his way. A few more of those and he wouldn't have any left. Did this guy use anything else as a weapon? Or was he just bad at close combat?

Either way, he needed to quit dodging and close the distance. His eye was wide and open, Sharingan following every movement. As another arrow was shot he pulled a kunai from his thigh holster and threw it. Both aimed weapons clashed against each other and dropped to the ground. The next time he moved and aimed Kakashi threw two. One to stop the arrow and the other to kill the use of his bow.

The kunai sailed across the distance and the Mist nin smirked, moving slightly to dodge the object.

Kakashi smirked as well and pulled his hand back just as the kunai sailed past his head and between the bow. He jerked his wrist and the kunai puffed out of existence, turning into several shurikins. The sharp tools wound themselves around the bow attached to a wire. As he tugged they shredded the wooden tool.

Zen snarled and dropped his weapon to avoid being cut as well. When he came charging at him, a sickle drawn from his hip Kakashi pulled out his sword readying for the blow. Steel crashed against steel as they fought. And out of the corner of his eye, just as he had done years ago, Kakashi kept an eye on his team mate, spurred by her success.

She too was going blow to blow behind him, meeting with resistance. Her sword was also drawn, clashing against Lex's scythe. Soon, both shinobi found themselves back to back, grunting as they traded blows.

"Care to switch?" She panted out between strikes.

"Bored?"

"No," she parried and ducked before continuing. "But you can see better than I. The air is thick, if you catch my drift."

"Ah," he panted out, lunging. "Sure, I could use a change."

"Will you two shut up?" Zen cried out.

"Were we being rude?" She smirked as she spoke.

"Apparently," Kakashi said with a light tone. "Now?"

"Sure."

With smooth, transitioned, lightening fast reflexes the turned and trades places.

"Nice," she offered.

"Thank you. Not so bad yourself."

"I'm blushing."

"Duck!"

And she did. Lex's scythe came slashing over them and clashed against his brother's sickle about the same time. Anger was getting the best of him, the both of them. It really couldn't be helped though. Between the pressure from Casandra, the Waterfall nin who'd been about for a short time and frustration over their last loss? Well, you wouldn't be too peachy either.

"God,I love my job," Sakura called out.

"Low pay, terrible travel conditions, bad food and life risks up the ass? You love that?"

"Hey, the health benefits are nice."

"Good point."

In a flash, Kakashi and Sakura were up again, fighting just as fluidly before. Sparks flew off of the shinning steel of several weapons. Kunai and shurikin imbedded themselves in the stadium walls, trees, rocks and the earth. Ninjutsus were conjured and wounds were inflicted. By the time both Kakashi and Sakura had the two Mist nin cornered in one area of the stadium they were both sweating, slightly bruised and bloody but... smiling.

"Your time's up. Forfeit and confess what you really doing here in Waterfall and you'll be dealt with kindly," Kakashi offered.

"We know what's you're up to," Sakura added. "But if you cooperate it'll be easier."

Lex snorted. "I knew you two weren't just here for the fight. But you're not the only ones with a plan, Leaf."

Zen grinned. "You really didn't think this was the end right?"

"Like hell we'd go peacefully. We've worked to hard to be stopped by the likes of you," Lex added.

Zen began to perform several hand signs. He bit his thumb and slammed the flat of his palm against the ground.

"He's summoning!" Sakura cried out as she grabbed Kakashi's arm and ran. She needed to create some distance. Who in the hell knew what he was calling forth or how big it was.

"I know that!" He called back as the sounds of rock and earth crashing against each other sounded from the direction of where the two Mist nin were. When they were a good twenty feet away they stopped and looked on at the fading cloud of white. Two sets of eyes widened as it did so.

It stood as high as the stadium. It's body was covered in scales and dripped water. The color was an earthy brown mixed with deep, dark green. The claws were terrifying and deadly. It looked to be a mix between a crocodile and a snake. The upper body had short arms and it's head was very much that of the swamp animal mention before. It's eyes were a beady yellow. The lower half had no back legs but rather just a long snaky tail.

It's mouth opened and it cried out in a loud piercing scream. It reverberated at such a high pitch both she and Kakashi had to hold their hands over their ears. Sakura suddenly felt a bang at her ankle and looked down. Both of their bands had been broken. If that wasn't a big sign this tournament had gotten out of hand she didn't know what was.

"Damn... I really didn't think either one of them was capable of summoning something this big," she whispered worriedly as she dropped her hands, the sound stopping.

"We've got our hands full here. That thing isn't a normal summon," Kakashi ground out.

"You know what it is?" She looked over at him.

"Have you ever heard of the legend of a Basilisk?" He asked as he stared upward.

She narrowed her eyes on him. "Well... yeah... but their fictional. Just like dragons."

He shook his head. "No, their very real. Most people think they don't exist because those who come in contact with them don't live to tell about."

"Why?"

"The size. They crush their enemies before they can think. Fuck..." he muttered. "This makes it a hell of a lot more complicated." His fists tightened at his sides.

"Maybe not," she replied as she looked up.

"Unless you can summon something just as big or happen to know a technique to do the job, then, yes, we're in serious trouble. The only thing I can summon are the dogs. And they aren't big enough to take care of him."

Sakura was going to reply, but as he opened her mouth the terrible creature came barreling forward and tried to swipe it's talons at them. They both lept away together and began to process of dodging each blow sent their way.

It's monstrous tail flung about, slamming into to trees, rocks and anything that got in it's way as it tried to take them down. In this crossfire Sakura tripped and fell. She cried out as her hand lost it's grip on Kakashi's. She grunted as she hit the ground on her back. And her eyes widened as that large tail came slamming down towards her.

She tried to scramble away. Being smashed under a giant was not her idea of an ultimate end. She felt arms wrap about her and suddenly she became weightless in someone's arms. She closed her eyes as she clung to them. She felt herself being set on her feet and looked up.

"Are you alright?" He asked as she gripped her upper arms tightly.

She nodded quickly. "Yeah," she whispered. "Just a close call is all."

"We need to do something fast. It's not just us in danger anymore. If this big guy keeps up there could be other casualties." He turned and looked over from where they hid in the shade of the trees.

"I was trying to tell you before. I can summon something big enough to take care of him."

He turned to looked at her, blinking. "And you're sure it'll work?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Then what are telling me about it for? Do it." His voice was urgent but even. "This isn't the time to be second guessing yourself, Sakura." If they weren't alone he wouldn't of said her name at all.

"It's complicated. The summon takes a little more time than most. To do it I need someone to keep them distracted for a while."

Kakashi understood what she was saying. She didn't need 'someone', she needed him. And she didn't want to ask him because she knew how difficult it would be for him. The situation was already difficult. Didn't she see that?"

"Next time don't ask. Just tell me to do it." He turned to go, but a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned around to look down at her.

"Be careful."

"I will." Without waiting for her to say another thing he was gone, forming the hand signs and readying himself for the fight of a lifetime against impossible odds. He smiled. He really did love impossible odds.

ooo

As she watched his retreating form she couldn't help but be just whole hell of a lot worried. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed as she stepped back and into the shadows of the barely thick man made small forest.

She had no time to worry about him no matter how badly she wanted to. He was doing his part of this fight and she had to do hers. There was more at stake here than just their two lives or winning a tournament. Thousands of people could die if they didn't succeed. Who knew what those two brothers or their sister had in mind.

She _had_ to work quickly.

Her eyes shut slowly as her hands began to perform the intricate signs. Her mind began to drift and her body felt almost weightless. Her body slowly began to glow a bright blue as her chakra shined through. Her fingers and hands began to moved faster and more fluidly. She was reaching for something, searching for it.

And then, as the peak hit, just when the movement of her hands was almost unreadable she stopped and slammed them together. Silence echoed around her, surrounded her. A breeze danced past. A few leaves danced on the wind. The chiming of small bells was heard somewhere unknown as she stood there.

And then... everything changed. The air grew just a bit warmer. The smell of sweet cherry blossoms danced all around her as pink petals suddenly appeared. And then... as if her whole being had shifted to another reality everything changed to a sepia tone. Her eyes remained closed as that sweet smelling breeze danced around her.

Her heart spoke to the trees, the wind, the plants and the animals as well. She could feel the hum gliding around her as she tried to attune her heart beat with it's gentle sound; to the elements themselves. This time it wasn't her hand performing the rest of the summon, but her very soul itself. This was why she told Kakashi she needed a distraction. If someone interrupted her now she could be seriously injured or die.

She inhaled deeply and pulled her hands apart. A loud bang was heard as she slammed her open palm down into the ground. The sepia color began to fade all around her and turn back to normal. All of the sounds returned. And the blue light that covered her body, the chakra she'd drawn forth, trailed down her arm firmly planted on the ground. Illegible kanji spread out in a circle and glowed that same color.

As she opened her eyes a cloud of smoke began to rise.

ooo

Kakashi cried out as his body was thrown into one of the stadium walls. Stone cracked behind him. It crumbled and he groaned. His eyes cracked open just as a large tail swung in his direction. Even as his body protested he jumped out of the way, landing in a crouch some few feet away from the blast. Shards of stone and flew in all directions away from the wall as it cracked further. He held up his hands out of shear instinct while he stood. This was ridiculous. He'd been in some bad situations before but this took the cake. He was known for pulling out of the worst scenarios barely alive or seriously scarred. But he still came out ok. This? He wasn't so sure about. Just where the hell was Sakura, he thought as he dodged another blow.

Shit! His mind cried out mid leap when a clawed hand suddenly shot out and slammed into him. He felt himself flying through the air for the second time that day, and not because he chose to. He looked down, waiting to get closer to the ground so he could somehow move his body to land without breaking anything.

But he didn't. No, as these thoughts passed his mind something white and brown shot out and wrapped itself about him. He grunted as he was caught. His eyes closed as he braced himself, but only for a moment as he wrapped his hands around the thing he would call his savior. Ge felt bark under his hands and looked up as he opened his eyes. And through the slits in his mask the sight that greeted him was almost unexpected.

Sakura stood on the shoulder of what looked like a young woman with her face engraved into the bark of a cherry tree. Pink blossoms molting danced about her as she looked down at him. He knew she was smiling at him. The flat of her palm was pressed into the giant trunk of the creature.

"Thanks," she said as he stood and slowly made his way up the branch that had caught him to stand next to her.

"Cutting it a tad close there weren't you?"

She chuckled. "Maybe I just like making you wait."

"Payback?"

"Sorta."

They braced themselves as that large tail came flying at them. But the being Sakura had summoned just lifted a large root and extended it, batting away the tail with no effort.

"What is this?" He called out over the fight.

"I'll tell you later. For now, just be ready to do something major. Alright?"

"Got it."

The two great beings fought on like that. splinters and blood flew in varying directions. Fangs and claws cut. Rooted vines whipped and struck out like spikes. Clawed hands met with branched digits covered in blooms and leaves. Sakura's summon held fast, pushing back with all her might.

"Do it now, Zola!"

The great tree obeyed and held tight. Her roots struck out and wrapped about the beast in front of her. They entangled over his legs, his tail, his arms and finally about his head. As Zola released his hands and pulled tighter he fought.

"I can't hold him long, Cherry-sama," the young voice of her summon called out.

Sakura turned to Kakashi. "Do you have enough energy to take care of this? Because," she half smiled, "it took everything I had left to get her here, Crow."

He nodded. "I can do this." His eyes turned to the beast before and his Sharingan began to shift. His moved his hands through a series of signs as he felt the core of his body begin to burn with energy he'd taken extra care to store away for a moment like this. It's why he hadn't used to many big techniques while fighting earlier.

As the technique began to activate he called out, "_Fire Release! Fire Storm!" _As he said this a blast of flames began to form on three sides of the Basilisk. They turned into tunnels spiraling out of control as they drew closer. "Cherry! Tell her to let go! Now!" As Zola released the beast the flames covered him and formed one large tunnel of flames. Within the spiral you could heart the screams of the beast and the Nami brothers. The torrent went on and on for what seemed like minutes. And the creature finally puffed out of existence only did then did he withdraw the jutsu.

Zola set both her and Kakashi down, puffing away herself as Sakura could barely sustain her any longer. The two Nami brothers were charred and knocked unconscious. But Kakashi could tell they were still alive as he felt their pulses. When he stood he said. "They're alright. A little burnt, but nothing a little healing and rest won't fix."

"Good," someone called from behind.

Both he and Sakura turned to see the three Waterfall nin drop in. Rai was the one who spoke.

"They'll need to be alive for the interrogation I plan to put them through," Zecks offered.

"Did you find Casandra?" Kakashi asked.

Vaughn nodded. "We did. Just where Asa said she would be. She put up a bit of a fight, but it wasn't anything we couldn't handle." She smirked.

Kakashi smiled wearily. "Good to hear. I hate loose ends."

"Me... too..." Sakura said equally weary as he legs started to give out. She felt strong arms steady her as she reached for her head. "Whoa... "

"You need to rest."

She looked up at him. "You too."

He chuckled. "When I'm dead."

She chuckled softly as she held onto his arm. "Hey... I guess you were tight."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, no blindfolds... but definitely beasts..." she joked.

They both laughed as the crowds cried out in joy over the obvious win. They'd done it. It hadn't exactly been what she was expecting. But, they'd won.

Together.

And that was all that mattered for now.

Even if he didn't love her. Even if he didn't remember right away. Well, she could deal with that so long as moments like this lasted. As long as she had him like this, happy, smiling and apart of her life as he use to be? She would be ok. Everything else could come later.


	56. Chapter 56

**..Chapter Fifty-Six..**

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**..**

_(Sorry for the lyrics in this chapter. You'll understand next chapter)_

_The sun is breaking in your eyes_

_To start a new day._

_This broken heart can still survive_

_With a touch of your grace._

_Shadows fade into the light._

_I am by your side,_

_Where love will find you._

_What about now?_

_What about today?_

_What if you're making me all that I was meant to be?_

_What if our love, it never went away?_

_What if it's lost behind words we could never find?_

_Baby, before it's too late,_

_What about now?_

_--Chris Daughtry, What About Now_

**..**

**.**

Sakura gave a soft yawn as she took the offered solider pill from her partner. She blinked down at the object before simply popping it into her mouth and biting down. She ignored the disapproving look from him as she sat down in the chair at the long board room type meeting table. He thought she needed rest. She knew she needed rest. But she also knew they still had a few loose ends to tie up with the Daimyo. She wanted to go home tomorrow. Not wait until tomorrow to get this over with.

Kakashi sat down next to her and across from her the three Waterfall nin took their seats. Her eyes narrowed on the much older man known as Rai, the leader. Had she seen him... before? Her eyes narrowed further as she searched through her subconscious.

The more she thought about it the more her brain hurt. But she really hated not figuring something out. It tormented her for... hours if not days. Who was he? She tapped the top of the slick table surface as she pondered. Another yawn escaped her as she felt the effects of the pill finally starting to kick in.

She resisted the urge to snap her fingers as it finally dawned on her. Of course. He was one of Kushina's friends from when she was growing up. And Sakura had met him on that mission to save... yes, his daughter. She'd been about the same age as Sakura was now. And she'd hardly required saving.

Sakura smiled.

It was, after all, one of her more fonder memories with Kakashi. They'd cut and battled their way through over a hundred Rock nin only to find out at the end the girl had left willingly. She'd been to afraid to tell her father what she wanted. Too bad he'd been more mad over the situation than he would have over her just telling him truth to begin with. Good thing Sakura never had to worry about an overprotective father. Maybe mindful, but not overprotective.

"She's still your partner, Crow?" Rai barked out in surprise as he looked over over with a curious eye. "Why didn't you say so before?" He spoke to her now. "I'd never forget that hair color, not as long as I live. But I can't seem to recall your code name. What was it?"

She blinked at him. How could he possibly remember her? She'd only spent a few days with him in the search for his daughter. Her eyes were narrowing again as she tried to play it cool. "I'm sorry?"

Kakashi shook his head. "This is my new partner and former student, Cherry. Her code name is the same, though."

"Really?" He murmured with raised brows. His eyes moved from Kakashi and back to her. "You know, that's odd. In Waterfall we don't reuse old code names. It's considered something of a dishonor to the memory of the former holder of the title." He frowned slightly at her.

Sakura smiled half heartedly and scratched the back of her head. Nervousness overwhelmed her system as she tried to think of some way to sort this all out. Damn Minato for giving her the same code name. "I fear I didn't have a say in the matter, Rai-sama. The Hokage is the one who picks our ANBU code names."

Rai simply smiled. "It is rather odd for you to get the same code name, though. You know, I don't remember much of Crow's old partner, but you do remind me a lot of her. Especially during the fight today. The only time I ever saw him move so fast or so well was with her. You've got quite a bit of talent."

"Thank you," she murmured

He looked over at Kakashi now. "Whatever happened to her?"

"It's a long story, as I told you before Rai," he murmured.

"Surely she didn't die, Crow. Not that woman. Kami forbid. Konoha would suffer the loss of such a great shinobi."

Sakura sighed. "She left on a very important mission two years after I was born, Rai-sama."

Rai blinked at that information. "Over fifteen years ago? And you haven't gotten word back yet?"

Both of them were silent.

Rai frowned and his face looked softer than before as he looked over at Kakashi. "I'm sorry... I know how much you..." He drifted off.

"Don't be," Sakura said on Kakashi's behalf. "What She did was not out of want, but out of duty. Protecting one's village comes before one's feelings. And no matter how badly you want to do what your feelings tell you, you must do what is right." She smiled sadly. "But, until She does come back, I'll be keeping an eye on Crow for Her."

Kakashi didn't say anything after that. But he did watch her curiously for a moment, a few thousand thoughts racing through his mind.

Rai chuckled. "Good, because someone has to. Otherwise--."

"Sorry to have kept you all waiting," the voice of the Daimyo suddenly spoke out in quick interruption as the doors were opened and closed behind him. "My uncle has been insisting to know what's going on. Especially since his wife is under lock down in her room. I can assume you'll have a full explanation for me? Finally?" He motioned for everyone to sit back down as he took his seat at the head of the table.

Kakashi sat up straighter than before. "Yes, My Lord." He turned to Sakura, questioning thought completely washed from his mind. "Would you like to start?"

Sakura let out a slow exhale and smiled behind her mask. "Of course." As all eyes rested on her she began. "First of all, you have to know without the information the Waterfall nin provided us this mission would have taken much longer to complete. Thank you," she said in their direction. Her eyes turned back to the Daimyo. "The first morning we were here and before the start of the fight while I was meeting with you, Crow was looking through your uncle's room. Halfway through his search your uncle and aunt came in."

Kakashi began where she left off. "I hid myself from view and listened to their conversation. And I found, oddly enough, your uncle was quite apprehensive about wishing to take the throne at all; even if until you grew up enough to handle it yourself. Instead, it was your aunt who appeared to have presented the idea to him. Lady Asa."

"Is that why she's under lock down? She was the real culprit?" The Daimyo spoke up.

Sakura shook her head. "Not quite. But it was a big thought in my head after I examined your father's body."

"The bugs, you mean..."

She nodded. "Yes. I didn't really know all of the information at the time, but I did know the small bugs found in his body sucked chakra. They were very much like a friend of mine's from the Aburame clan. And they were what killed your father. So, I sent out an urgent message via flight bird. The next day I received a reply and a few samples. In the mean time, while I was doing this, Crow was searching your uncle's room again."

Kakashi picked up where she left off. "The day before then I'd found a secret entrance under their rug. When I went in there that day I did some snooping. What I found was a tunnel made of stone that led to a small room. And that's where I overheard the Mist nin speaking with a woman whom they referred to as Casandra. Apparently, some sort of plan was under way and they didn't want to risk being found out. The woman told both the Mist nin they couldn't afford to lose the tournament."

"And this is why you arrested the two nin from Mist?" His brow furrowed. "But then, what does Asa have to do with anything?"

"I'm getting to that," Sakura continued. "The reply my friend sent me not only gave me answers, but more questions. The bugs in your father's body _were_ a type of chakra sucking insect. But a rare one found only in Cloud. They live off a special type of plant that can only grow under very specific conditions. In fact, the only time they take to a human body is when forced to. So the chances of your father simply coming across them were impossible."

"Which... led you back to my aunt..." he edged with narrowed eye while interlacing his fingers together on the table.

"Yes, it did. And after the fight that evening I confronted her about the plant sample." She looked over at the Waterfall nin and smiled.

Rai smiled back, even if he couldn't see hers. "The Mist nin your uncle hired did not arrive in Waterfall city a week or so ago. They've been here for years, off an on. And they are not Mist nin. They are from Waterfall. You aunt, Lady Asa, however, does have old ties to Mist."

Zecks picked up where Rai left off. "Reiko Asa and before she married your uncle, Vega Asa... is really known as Nami Asa. Vega was merely a false name she used for years while traveling with her siblings. She is the oldest of the group, but hardly the ring leader. Her father was from Waterfall and her mother from Mist. When he married her mother he got permission from our village to move to Mist. But only under the condition that if she died, he would move back to Waterfall and with the children, if there were any. Asa's mother and grandmother were exceptional shinobi. And they are whom she learned everything from in regards to plants. But while the both of them utilized plants for battle she took them as more of a hobby."

Rai nodded and went on again. "When her mother died her father returned to Waterfall with his young daughter. There he married again and three children resulted from the union. Zen, Lex and.. Casandra."

Vaughn interrupted. "The Nami clan possesses a bloodline technique that allows them to change their chakra flow and visible body. Casandra does not. But this did not stop us from trying to find them for many years."

"Why did they become missing nin?" Dai asked.

"I can answer that," Sakura provided quickly as she looked over at the Daimyo. "A few years passed after Asa's father remarried. While she wasn't entirely over the death of her mother, she was still happy in her new life. Sadly, when she about sixteen, she lost both of her parents on a mission. It was a mission the current Daimyo of Waterfall had hired them to do. Your father." She sighed as she recalled the tear filled words of Asa. "The request at the time was simple. Escort a band of traders from Waterfall city to Cloud city. Make sure they arrived safely and unharmed.

"A few hours after they left they were ambushed by a band of rogue shinobi. It happened quickly and before her parents knew it they were under captive control. A message was sent to the Daimyo in Waterfall. They would release the hostages if he sent the ransom money. Sadly, for whatever reason, the Daimyo did not react quickly enough. Waterfall ANBU were sent, and the cargo they were escorting was recovered, but her parents died despite this."

Rai sighed. "We don't even know the real contents of the cargo. That information was sealed away under our leader's request."

"At any rate," Kakashi said, "Casandra, despite being the youngest saw her sister's sadness and tried to convince the leader of Waterfall village to do something about all of this. She felt the Daimyo of Waterfall deserved some kind of punishment for inadvertently killing her parents. When no information was given out and her request was denied they left the village. Years passed and Asa finally managed to secure a position in the palace."

"With the great strides the city was making with silk development it wasn't too hard for her," Sakura supplied. "However, as time passed, she found herself falling in love with your uncle. She married him under the pretext of using him, at first. And while she was the one to provide the insects that killed your father, she was not the one to directly make sure they made their way into his body. Casandra did this.

"She was the one who eventually came up with the idea of killing your father. That in turn would force you onto the throne. Once Asa convinced Setsuna it would be best for him to take on the job until you grew older everything was set to go. Unfortunately, for them, they didn't expect you to call the tournament into play. And they didn't exactly expect us to go snooping around on a side mission. But the general plan was to kill you the same way your father was killed which would keep your uncle on the throne. Once that was done your uncle would meet the same fate and the throne would fall to his son. Being he is still too young, Asa would step up for the job on his behalf.

"They would train your cousin to be the leader they wanted along with a slew of other men and women in the shinobi arts. And when the time was right, they hoped to eventually take down Waterfall village, completing their revenge."

The Daimyo was quiet for a long while as he processed all of this information. His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared down at the table.

This couldn't be easy for him, Sakura imagined. The only good thing to come out of it was knowing his uncle was not his enemy. He'd only been manipulated by a woman who really didn't want any part of her former goals anymore. And the only thing that had kept her going along with it was her sister.

"What do you plan on doing with them all?" He asked softly while not looking up.

Rai sighed. "Casandra, after dealing with her, I've found is a very confused... and a very unstable woman. She needs help. Serious help. The two brothers? Well... for the most part they just followed along with Casandra. They'll be spending at the very least ten years in a shinobi prison. After that, they're more than welcome to appeal for returning to duty. That is depending on how they act while in lock down."

"And Asa?" He whispered.

"We aren't too sure... but, we did make a deal with Crow and Cherry. As long as she didn't fight them and was cooperative... we'd leave her in your hands. She was never trained as a shinobi, like her siblings. So she's no threat in that respect."

Dai nodded. "I thank you for that. Because, in a way, I am at fault for the death of her parents, it seems."

Sakura blinked. "How?"

Dai smiled sadly as he looked at her. "I was the unknown cargo, Lady Blossom. You see, my father was trying to arrange a marriage between myself and the Daimyo of Cloud's daughter. It was only expected we meet, even at that young age. And being the male it was my duty to go to her. When the rogue ninja attacked they were not concerned with Asa's parents, but me. That's why they sent the ransom request. When my father sent help the fight got out of control. And her parents died making sure I got out safely."

"You'll be talking to her then?" Kakashi asked.

He nodded. "Yes. I don't think punishing her will do any good."

"Very well then," Rai announced with a small smile as he stood with his team. "We'll leave her in your hands, Dai-sama." He looked over at Kakashi and Sakura as they too stood. "Thank you for your cooperation in all of this. Send my love to Kushina. And thank Minato for me in sending you two."

"Before I forget," Dai said while also standing. "Here." He handed and brown envelope to Kakashi. "Your payment and a letter of thanks to your Hokage."

Kakashi bowed. "Thank you, Dai-sama."

"I expect you'll be leaving in the morning now that this is over with?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, we're most eager to get home."

"Have a safe journey. All of you."

With a final bow and a few goodbyes everyone left the room. The last few days had been long and tiring. Full of mystery, near death, angst and ten times the drama anyone expected. But, when all was said and done, they'd completed the mission successfully. And that's really all anyone could ask for.


	57. Chapter 57

**..Chapter Fifty-Seven..**

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_16th Year_

_Day 102_

_Time, 1800 hours_

_Cherry,_

_The first few years of my life I held out hope that you would return to me. I lived with that image in my mind. I dreamed of that day until it hurt. I watched you, in the night, in my slumber, coming through the gates of Konoha with your arms wide open for me. Smiling, crying, holding me as you did before. As the years went on I became something of a shell, searching for you, nearly killing myself on missions. I wanted you back with me so badly I even convinced Minato let me officially search for you. And after the death of so many team mates, or those who simply resigned from my team, I eventually went solo. Perhaps it was the biggest mistake of my life... but I couldn't risk losing anymore important people to my own selfish needs._

_By now, your probably getting a tad confused as to why I'm saying all this. Then again, maybe not if you've read all the other entries. That... would take a while though. Even for someone as smart as you. But, hear me out. Listen to my words. Because I fear I can't say them to you, just as I barely could that day under the cherry tree._

_When you first showed up in Konoha with Obito I hated you. Not for bringing him back, but because you were right. I was acting stupidly, irrationally and I was on the verge of allowing my own demons to consume me. It wasn't that I couldn't see Obito, it was that I couldn't face the reality of what I'd failed to do for him and my team staring me right in the face all over again._

_You taught me that being a leader wasn't about being the greatest shinobi. It wasn't about knowing the most jutsus. It wasn't even about being the one without emotions. Being a good leader is about knowing your team and what they are capable of. It's about never asking more of them than you know they're capable of giving you. And most of all, it's about commitment and understanding. Knowing when to attack at full force and when to yield altogether. In being a good leader you have to accept your own faults and failures. I finally understand all of that now._

_As we grew your ability to teach me things never ceased to amaze me. I'll admit, I was a bit surprised when you wanted to join ANBU with me. But I was glad at the same time. I knew as long as you were by my side I could do anything. And with that I think I depended on you a little too much. I did that not only because I loved you, but because I respected you. You were never an extra wheel for me. You never let me down. And that is what made us such a good match in and out of battle._

_When you told me you needed to focus more on your studies in the hospital and help Rin become a more proficient medic I'll admit I was a little disappointed, but I understood. Knowing you were safe at home kept me from doing all the stupid things I did years after you left while I was on missions. I wasn't happy, but I understood._

_And two years later when you agreed too become my wife? Nothing can begin to even explain how happy you made me. Even the sadness of knowing you had to go for a while... even _that_ wasn't enough to take my happiness from me. Because I knew you would come home. I had faith in you. You have never let me down before and you wouldn't then._

_As time went on, as I said, I killed myself over and over again in ANBU. And that led to Minato pulling the rank away from me. I _was_ angry at the time. I_ did_ hate him. And never before had I felt so helpless in all my life as I did then. I decided, right then, the only thing I truly had left of you was that title, that place, next to me on a two man team._

_Then I got saddled teaching. I failed one team after the other. And each time I did, I compared them to you. I was too angry to see beyond anything else or to even pay attention to what they might bring to the field. Another one of my regrets..._

_And then, after all that I found myself in the presence of three young students who all I could do was make assumptions for. And for some reason, I wanted them to pass. I didn't _want_ to be angry anymore. And even I didn't know why. Needless to say, as you know by now, they did prove themselves. They did pass. And they have been the best team I'd ever hoped for._

_But, the one who grew the most is the one I least expected to. Haruno Sakura. After learning all she could from me and passing the Chuunin exams with her team, she went onto become Tsunade's apprentice. And like her teacher, she has become one of the greatest medics the world will ever know. Just like you._

_Roughly two weeks ago I found myself yet again drinking over your memory. By myself. And then, moments later, I wasn't alone anymore. No, instead, Sakura was right next to me. And that night.... that night she told me she loved me. Fourteen years my younger and she's in love with me. Do you know how hard that is for me? It's not that she's just in love with me, Cherry, it's that she's your spitting image. The same image you left me with when you left me in the night. I didn't know how to handle that. It was bad enough being her teacher, watching her grow. And then... to top off the torment... she's in love with me._

_How could I... wounded as I was... discern the two? Especially when she is so much like you? How?_

_She promised me nothing. All she wanted was some time. We spent the following week together. Talking, smiling, laughing... I hadn't felt that way in years. I didn't know what to make of it._

_Then, at the end of the week, Minato offered me a place back on ANBU, under the condition that I could eventually search for you again. Reluctantly, I agreed to a two man team. And at the end of that week I found myself face to face with Haruno Sakura._

_I fought her tooth and nail the entire mission. I verbally sparred with her as if I hated her, as if she had betrayed me. And I felt betrayed. It was bad enough Minato forced me into that position. But then to send Sakura as my partner... for her to ask for it. And can't really blame her. It's not like when she asked for it she had all the facts..._

_We got over it though. She helped me come back to myself. Back to the man you once knew. The man you love..._

_Kami... even writing it's hard to say. I'll try though._

_Understand, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do my entire life. I have loved you as I have loved no other. And I made a promise to you that I would never love another woman like I did you. That I would sooner die alone and withdrawn than have anyone else. I didn't make this choice easy, mainly, because it wasn't my choice to make. Wise men like to say you can't possibly begin to understand the inner workings of men's hearts. And I finally get what they mean. I do. Even if my heart breaks over it._

_She's not you, in a way. And yet she is. I never verbally fought with you like I have her. But I move just as fluidly as I did with you when I do with her. Like you, she has taught me many things. Like you, she is a strong leader and more decisive than I gave her credit for. And yet... there is a pain in her eyes so like my own. As if she lost something very dear to her and her heart breaks over it._

_But I know now.... it's not you I pretend to see when I look at her. No, I realize I'm not doing that. I was just too afraid to admit what I felt for her was not really the same. Maybe stronger, maybe not. I don't know.... I'm learning still._

_I still love you. I always will. And every year on that day you left I will take time out to think of you. Maybe one day I'll be able to get through the whole night without crying. Maybe. It's hard not to cry now._

_I'm not strong enough. Not as strong as you. I can't keep going on like this. I can't keep fighting my heart. I can't keep killing myself over your memory. You wouldn't want me that way. It's..._

_It is with a heavy heart, breaking soul and shaking hand that I... Hatake Kakashi... Crow... Say goodbye, my love. I can't give my heart to someone else if I can't do that. For her. It doesn't just stain your memory... but it's unfair to Sakura._

_I don't know if you dead...alive... But I hope for the latter. Forgive me. But, most of all... don't hate me for trying to move on. Know I that I waited almost two decades for you. And you can't ask much more of a man than that. Please.._

_Please... don't._

_Goodbye,... Sakura._

_~Crow_

Kakashi swallowed hard as he set down his pen with a clatter. His movements were half automated as he reached up, with closed eyes and shut to cover of his leather bound journal on that last entry. His final entry. There would never again be another one written into a leather journal by his hand. That, in all truth, was really all he had left of Her.

He resisted the urge to cry with each stroke of his pen. He'd held in his sorrow on the final few lines. But it had been something he needed to do. Without it he would never have closure, he would never fully be able to move on and being with Sakura would always hold a far off memory of her in a light he didn't want it in.

No, as he opened his eyes, he realized he felt better. It hurt, but it felt better. It wasn't easy. It might take years for him to finally look on Her memory without feeling like his heart had been ripped from his chest. But it was a start.

He'd fallen in love with Sakura. Not because she looked like Her. Not because she sounded like Her. And not because he wanted to pretend. But because... well... he couldn't really explain it. He didn't even know how it had happened. The only thing he did know was, he didn't want to be without her. Ever. He didn't want to be depressed or angry anymore. And she had shown him that he didn't have to be. She had shown him how to be better person. One who smiled honestly. One who laughed because he really did find something funny and not because he was trying to placate someone. She had taught him how to live again.

It was unusual, if anything.

The girl had been his student for years; even after she studied under Tsunade. He'd watched her grow for six, long years. He'd been there for her. He'd talked with her about things he never talked to anyone about. And even before this mission, he'd smiled around her with more sincerity than anyone else.

Maybe that's what it was...

He'd seen Sakura at her worst and best. He watched her fight her first real battle. He'd been there for her when she'd cried herself silly over nearly losing Sasuke against Haku. He'd understood her pain when the bridge builder relayed to him her speech about being emotionless. He'd chuckled everytime she pulled Sasuke and Naruto apart. He'd merely arched a brow when she scolded him for his reading material. And then he'd tried hard not to laugh when he offered to let her read them and she'd blushed three shades of red at the young age of twelve. And he had been the first person she came to tell after Tsunade when she mastered her first basic healing technique.

He'd been through a lot of her firsts... but not just the good ones.

He recalled when Orochimaru attacked during the Chuunin exams and she'd been waiting in the stands for her turn. She'd been afraid, looking to him for reassurance. And he'd given it to her, smiling and told her to go after Sasuke with Pakkun.

But... the most fond memory he had of her as a young girl was when she came to him about Sasuke. It was then, at thirteen she'd told him she wasn't really in love with him. He recalled asking her, out of humor, if she wasn't in love with Sasuke... then who would she set her sights on next. And with a smile, she'd left, telling him it was a secret.

Thinking on it now... he realized just how telling that smile really was.

He sighed and listened as the shower sounded in the background, telling him she was still bathing.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and tried to think of how he would tell her. And when. He'd wanted to tell her the moment he'd realized it. Holding her in his arms earlier after the battle. Watching her, seeing her strength during that fight, working with her... it just made everything click.

He knew he still had a long way to go as far as She went. Closure was the first step. And he had it. But easing the pain in his heart would take time. But, how much of it could he afford to waste anymore? Years? He didn't want that... Maybe after he--.

He blinked as a scratch sounded at the door, breaking his train of thought.

There was only one person, or dog, he knew of who would scratch at the door. He stood up and quickly walked over to it, mask only held over his face as he opened the door and let the little dog in. Kakashi watched as Pakkun bounded over to the table and hopped up on.

"You know, you owe me big for this," he muttered out after dropping a file on the table. "I had to carry this all the way from Konoha. In my mouth."

Kakashi blinked for a moment, trying to recall what he was talking about. He'd been busy thinking about other things. But, it didn't take that long to remember. He wasn't a moron. Emotionally wound tight, but not incompetent. He dropped the mask on the table as he made his way to it. "It's alright, Pakkun. I don't need it anymore. I don't care if she was adopted. I've made a decision." He sighed heavily. "Regardless of where she's from or who her parents are... I don't care. I love her. And that's all that matters."

Pakkun blinked at him. "You're in love with her?"

He nodded.

"Then I think you might want to take a look at what I brought you."

"I told you--."

"Kakashi.. I ran over a hundred miles to get this information. I dodged a handful of Chuunin shinobi working in the file department of the tower. Tricked Tsunade into a happy hour at Yin's so Rin would leave the office that held the birth certificates. I nearly got my tail burned by an Uchiha medic who found me snooping and then had to erase his memories for the past twenty minutes so he wouldn't know what I'd been doing. So, shut up, sit down, and listen."

Kakashi arched a brow at his demanding behavior.

"Please."

"Get on with it," he let out as he sat down. "And hurry up. Sakura will be out of the bathroom at any moment."

Pakkun sat down and nodded. "Well, like I said, it took me a few days... but I got the results you wanted." He reached down, using his paw and flipped open the file. "Haruno Sakura," he read, "born March 28--."

"I know her birthday, Pakkun. We celebrated it last month."

He ignored him. "She was born in Konoha Hospital at exactly 0400 hours to one Haruno Amida, the father and one Haruno Fujita, her mother."

"And?"

"And what? That proves she wasn't adopted, Kakashi," he barked out.

"Records are falsified in hospitals all the time, Pakkun. That doesn't prove anything," he argued back, rational getting the better of him.

"I know," he nodded. "And I had a feeling you might say that. So I did some more digging. In the sealed department." He turned another page a pointed down at the photo. "Look. I found this in a file Minato put away. As you know, during that time it was pretty hard to get photos unless they were for shinobi files or graduation. However, this picture was taken shortly before Her team left."

Kakashi sighed and looked down. It was a image of Sakura and her two team mates. "So? This still doesn't tell me anything, mutt."

"Kakashi," he said evenly, "do you remember the names of Sakura's old team mates?"

"Barely... why? What does it matter?"

Pakkun flipped the picture over. There, scrawled in ink were the names.

_Kaioh Sakura (middle), Uchiha Sasuke (left) and Daisuke Naruto (right)_

His eyes narrowed and he looked up at Pakkun. "They have the same first names. So? and Sasuke was an Uchiha. Of course he's going to bear that last name, Pakkun. You're wasting my time."

Pakkun resisted the urge to growl and pulled another photo out. "This is a recent picture of Sauske, Naruto and Sakura when they passed the Jounin Exam. Compare them, Kakashi. For me."

With a heavy sigh he grabbed the photo. And he compared the two. And then he was silent. Very silent. Sakura's hair was longer in the Jounin photo, but aside from the clothes and that detail... all three looked like twins. "It could be coincidence," he whispered as his hand shook.

"Yes, I thought so too, Kakashi. And that's why I ran the DNA you provided me through the lab. But I didn't just compare Sakura's to Hers. Before Her team left they were required to have a medical exam, just like any shinobi team. That too was sealed away with this photo under Minato's order." He paused, taking a moment before revealing the information.

"Kakashi... all three blood samples taken then.... matched the one's taken of your team now. They're the same people. I don't know how, but they are. And none of them were adopted. All of them were delivered by Rin herself. Full details of each birth were given. And when I asked her about it in passing while in Konoha... well, you know how I can sniff out a liar, no matter how good they are. And she wasn't, Kakashi."

He dropped the photos as his breath quickened. His blood rushed and his heart sped erratically out of control. His mind reeled and he felt like he was losing it all over again. Like he was tumbling over the edge as he went back... back... to all the things She said to him. All the things he never really paid any mind.

...

_Kakashi nodded, hands dug into his pockets as they walked towards the training area. "We are, I suppose. But, you are with yours too?"_

_She smiled. "Oh, yes, we weren't at first though. I couldn't stand Naruto the moment I met him."_

_"And Sasuke?"_

_"Sasuke?" She smirked. "Ah well, I had a crush on him during our Academy days. It sorta of continued on into our Genin days after that. And then well..." she shrugged, letting it hang at that._

_"You must love him very much," he murmured wistfully._

_She smiled. "I do. Him and Naruto both were there for me in ways I never imagined." She frowned. "When we were separated for a time... it was odd. I was so use to having my team with me. However, knowing they weren't there for a while gave me time to get better myself, to be able to prove to them I was just as capable as they would become."_

_"How long have you been together?" He meant Sasuke._

_"My team and I? Hm... lets, see... about four or five years."_

_"No," he shook his head. "You and Sasuke."_

_She arched a brow. "Me and... Sasuke?" She blinked and then started laughing._

_"I fail to see what is so funny..."_

_She just kept on laughing, hold her stomach as she stopped. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-kun. Really, I am. But you see, I'm not romantically involved with Sasuke." She grinned. "With anyone."_

_He blinked, stopping to stare at her. "Truly?"_

_She nodded, grinning. "Why?"_

_He scratched the back of his head, his eye slightly downcast. "Ah... I suppose it just sounded like you were." Kami, that sounded pathetic._

_Sakura, for all her credit, didn't seem to notice it was odd at all. She shrugged. "It's no problem. I would have thought the same thing, now that I think about how I worded it." She wrinkled her nose and clasped her hands behind her back as they walked._

_"So, who was your sensei?"_

_"My sensei?" She blinked._

_He nodded, looking over at her curious expression. "Your Jounin team leader."_

_Sakura suddenly smiled nervously, her eyes closed a moment as a small blush danced across her cheeks._

_"My teacher... well..."_

_He watched as her eyes went distant, and her face turned upward in happy memories dancing before her thoughts. He could almost see them._

_"He's an interesting guy, that's for sure. When my team first met him he asked us about ourselves." She grinned and dug her hands into her skirt pockets. "And then he told us to be at the training ground at some god awful hour in the morning." She rolled her eyes, so caught in her memories she forgot who she was speaking to. "And do you know he showed up late? Hours late? After he told us not to eat breakfast?" Her eyes turned to his. "And do you know what he said when we accused him of being late?"_

_"No?"_

_She scowled, lost in thought. "He told us a black cat crossed his path. And grinned!"_

_Kakashi blinked at that._

_She grumbled a moment. But just as soon as she did that a smile bloomed on her face. "It was a tad annoying. Especially with that dumb bell test we had to do..." She smirked. "We failed the first time around.... and then... he told us..."_

_He listened intently, not bothering to tell her Minato had done the same thing with them. He didn't want to interrupt her._

_She sighed sadly. "He said, in the ninja world those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends are worse trash." She shook her head. "We didn't understand it at first. He told us that day he lost a lot friends to battles. That all the people he cared about were dead. I almost..." she sighed and looked down, trailing off. "I really felt bad for him. I can't imagine not having my team around. I imagine he lost his a long time ago." She smiled brightly once more, still not really thinking about who she was speaking to. "He would read these annoying smut books. He still does. Pillow books is more like it." She wrinkled her nose. "All the time too. Even on a mission. He--."_

_"Those words... the expression he said to you, where did he get it?" Kakashi's voice was urgent._

_Sakura stopped walking, "Ah... well... it was just something he told us..." She shrugged._

_..._

_A blast of fire came careening down the dark path, heading right for the gates._

_"No," Sakura whispered, dread filling her, "not now."_

_"Sakura?" Kakashi questioned._

_She shook her head as the the sirens started to go off in the watchtowers on the village walls. "Hurry! We have to close the gates!"_

_..._

Not now... not now because she knew...

_..._

_"Gift?" he echoed, arching a brow as he recalled her earlier mention of a gift._

_She laughed and reached into her pouch. "Yes, a gift." She handed him a wrapped little rectangle with a small ribbon of blue._

_He blinked a few times and took it._

_"Well... go on... open it, Crow."_

_He did. What greeted his eyes he'd suspected might have been a book. But what she gave him was not what he had anticipated. "A porn book?" He muttered and looked at her. "Are you trying to tell me something?"_

_She laughed. "No, you goof. Look," she opened the binding and showed him the signature and message. "Jiraiya signed it for me. It's one of his seven hand written copies. Many of them went to auction, but I happened to be lucky enough to bride him into this one."_

_He was still confused. "But... a porn book?"_

_She frowned and placed her hands on her hips. "It's not a porn book, Crow. It's good literature. I never thought it was true... but apparently I was told right. Sure there's some pretty racy scenes in it. But much of it's actually well written. This one has a good mystery and a great plot intrigue about a woman who works as a spy for two waring shinobi countries during the first war. And believe it or not some of this is actually based on real history."_

_He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Well then, if it's from you I'm sure I'll love it."_

_..._

She was told right... but not by Jiraiya... by him.

_..._

_She sighed and held his gaze. Worry, sadness and a touch of loss was ridden in her eyes. "Remember the mission I told you years ago that my teacher was still on? The confidential one assigned by the Third?"_

_He nodded, confused. "I do." He'd always thought it odd the man she spoke so fondly of years ago had never returned to Konoha. He'd always wanted to meet him._

...

_"I'll be gone for years," she whispered shakily. "I... I might not see you for..."_

_"How long," he urged, almost shaking her, his own voice trembling. If this was her way of letting him down easily after she'd said yes he... he didn't know what he'd do. He would be lost without her._

_She bit her lower lip and tried to avoid his eyes, but he held true. "I don't want you to wait for me. I don't expect you to. I want you to know that, Crow."_

_"How long?" He demanded in a loud, hoarse whisper._

_She closed her eyes and more tears fell with the action as she shook. "...I'm not sure..."_

...

_"I won't lose you," he whispered hoarsely. "I won't. I won't lose you like I've lost everyone else."_

_She cried as her body became soaked in the downpour. "I have to go, Kakashi. I don't have a choice. It's what I signed up for when I became a ninja. You know that as well as I do."_

_He shook his head. "Let me go with you."_

_"I can't," she cried out between tears as he gripped her hands. "You know I can't."_

_..._

_"But.... but what if I don't come back.. for years longer than I expect? What if... what if I die, Kakashi? What if you never find out what happened to me?!"_

_"Then I'll never love anyone again." As she started to argue once more he interrupted her. "There never will be anyone else, Sakura! Can't you see that! I'd rather die a lonely old man with only your images to comfort me than to have anyone else again. Don't you understand? If it weren't you, there wouldn't be anyone else. I would have died a bachelor anyway," he whispered. "My mother once said after my father died, 'Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.' That's the way I feel about you. And if you don't come back... If you die..." He hated that thought, but forced himself to continue, "I'll be thankful for what you gave me," he whispered._

_She reached for him, embracing him in the cold, whipping rain as she never had before. Her eyes shut tightly and he clung back to her. "I'll come back. I promise," she said back. "Even if it takes fifteen years, I'll come back to you."_

_"I know," he said back softly, mimicking her. "I know."_

...

His mind suddenly shifted to the present.

...

_"I guess we all have our secrets, don't we Kakashi?"_

_You speak from experience?"_

_"You could say that," she whispered._

_..._

_"You appear full of surprises," he replied, looking over at her. "Whenever did you have time to learn that?"_

_"The dance?" She moved aside for a man wheeling by a cart of sweet nuts. As his questioning look in response to her she simply shrugged and gave a hidden smile. "Let's just say there was this guy and a time long ago when I wanted nothing more than to get his attention. And lets just say his attention was more on business that night."_

_"Sasuke?"_

_She shook her head as they fell in step together once more after the cart had passed. "No... not really..." she shrugged again. "It was during a mission. And like I said, a very long time ago."_

_He chuckled. "You talk as though you're a hundred."_

_"And you don't?" She laughed._

_..._

_"Was it really that important? Whatever you two were doing?"_

_She nodded. "It was. But we needed a break. He was working himself stiff and I was already there." She found herself almost tripping again, but he caught her tightly in the grip of his hands to steady her once more. "Thanks."_

_"No problem."_

_She smiled. "I rented a pair of skates and left him to himself. But, of course, as you can imagine, I fell all over myself."_

_"Let me guess," he began, "your noble love set right out to rent a pair of skates and helped you?"_

_She laughed. "Hardly, but I'm sure he would appreciate your sense of confidence in him. No," she tried to stop laughing, "quite the opposite."_

_"He didn't help you?" He blinked, suddenly wanting to beat some sense into this unknown person in her story._

_"Oh, he tried," she said with some laughter still in her voice. "But all he managed to do for the first hour or so was fall all over the place with me. Eventually he got it and then he helped me. We were so sore the next day we didn't even leave our room."_

_"At least he tried to help you," he said softly._

_She nodded at that. "He always did.. And you? When did you learn to skate?"_

_..._

Her memories were of him...

...

_She laughed softly, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to kill the sleep in them. "You really are trying to kill yourself," she replied softly. "Minato was right. And I'm convinced every time you get into a fight, in that uniform, it's like you lose all sight of yourself. You're just not the same man. You're not the man I fell in love with. You're not the man I came to admire while he was my teacher. And, your not the same man I chose as my partner. The same one I trusted with my life.... Kakashi," she said emotionally, her voice half shaking and yet filled with strength, "you told me when we started this that you were happy I understood the importance of what this uniform once represented, as a two man unit. Yet, you've lost all understanding for that very meaning yourself." She smiled sadly, as if coming to a resolution, or perhaps out of pity for him. Serenity was half expressed in her torn eye of emerald, the same ones that haunted him in and out of his sleep. "When you learn what it means to be a team, to lean on me... not as a replacement, a fill in, or a punishment," she whispered strongly as she pointed at herself, tears barely brimming her eyes and lips quivering, "but as someone.... as someone who has earned this uniform; someone who's earned the right because of what I did. Not because of what you expect someone not be. Not because of some impossible pedestal you've set this... this title on. It's not fair to me or anyone else. And it's unfair to ask more of me when you can't even give it yourself; not when you're fighting to make up for a loss or a void that even you can't fill,...Crow. No," she uttered with new found strength as she shook her head, "I won't be your damned punching bag, whether you mean to do it or not. And when you learn how to accept these things, to treat me as an individual who's earned this place because of my skills,... I'll be waiting."_

_..._

If he'd only been listening more carefully to that speech he would have understood her words. She'd been angry at him not because of what he'd done that day... but because she knew he was capable of more. Because she had been there.

...

_"Crow.... " she began, "Emotionally, I've not asked you for a thing. The only thing I want from you is the same thing you've always given me on team seven. I get that this is different... The uniform, the mask, the name and the duties... all of it is different. And it's all you have of Her, in your mind. But just because I'm your partner, just because I look and sound like Her, doesn't mean... I'm going to ruin those memories. I can never take that from you. No one can."_

_..._

She understood because... he couldn't keep his hands from shaking, he just couldn't. And even as Pakkun called out to him he couldn't help those memories from burning; resurfacing.

...

_"I want you to know, Crow... you helped make me the woman I am today.... I love you."_

...

He couldn't see straight anymore. As those words echoed in his mind. Those final words. All of it. All of it made sense. And yet none of it did? How? Why? Why didn't she tell him? Why? He still didn't understand. Any of it. He could vaguely here Pakkun calling out to him as he stood up. He barely listened as he left in a puff of smoke, probably overly tired from the two way trip. Even if the little dog knew what he was about to do, or if he had wanted to stop him, he couldn't now.

The bathroom door was pulled open and both of his eyes were open as he stared at her form. They were filled with pain as he watched her comb her hair. She smiled and looked over at him.

"Hey, I'll be out in a ..." She frowned. "Kakashi?"

He saw red. Pain over ran his system and his heart. He'd said goodbye to her today. He'd said _goodbye_. And the whole time, watching his heart break not only today... but for years... she'd known. He didn't know for how long she knew. But she did. He heard her cry out as he gripped her upper arms and shoved her back up against the wall.

"Kakashi? What are you doing?" She grabbed onto his chest, half struggling against him. Her eyes looked up at him, cold emerald meeting with mismatched black and red. She felt her breath catch at all the emotions swirling there. His Sharingan flared, turning and she nearly jumped. "Kakashi..?"

But he wasn't listening to her. He could ask her all he wanted to. But he had to know. Without a doubt, he had to know. Reason and logic were thrown out the window. Good sense was gone. Part of him knew he shouldn't do this, but it was also gone in a blaze of anguish and tears. His sanity had met it's brink. It was gone. He was lost.

And just like he had all those years ago in bed, he capture her eyes with his technique. But this time not to give her pleasure. This time... this time he did to ferret through her memories. And he started as far back as he could.

He saw her as a girl, smiling at her mother as she told her she wanted to become a shinobi. He watched as her eyes lit up when Ino became her friend. And how they flared up as she became her rival. He saw each of her memories of trying to fight her way through school, through her studies. The long nights at her desk in her room and in the library.

And then... he watched as those memories of her becoming his student came to her. But they were not the same memories he had of her. No, these... were... different. All the words were wrong, the faces, the places. In this version of time Naruto didn't know how his father was. Sasuke did not have a family and he hated his brother. Not only that but the Uchiha clan was dead. And the Third was still Hokage. He saw much more. He saw Tsunade becoming Hokage. Naruto going on a trek with Jiraiya and Sasuke leaving with him. He watched longer still as Sakura turned more to medicine and to a few relationships that never panned out.

After this he shifted the memories into overdrive, skipping through. It was then he saw her having a drink with him, flirting with him... telling him it wasn't his fault. And then Tsunade telling the whole team about a mission to the Valley of End... a rip in time.

He swallowed as the rest of her memories came to him. From there he saw Sasuke's pain, Naruto turmoil and eventually finding out Minato was his father and how Sakura had saved Obito... he would have been dead without her. He had been...

He watched as they fought a man he soon discovered was Madara and listened as Eon told them the truth of everything. All her memories made sense... and he finally understood why she couldn't tell him then. He stopped short just as they made the trip back home in her memories.

He stepped away from her, panting and shaking, eyes staring down at her.

She too was panting and using the wall behind her for leverage. Her eyes held his own, tear ridden. They shut tightly as she bit her lower lip.

"Why?" He whispered. "Why did you tell me? This entire time... everything you said... everything we went through... you knew..."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I wanted to tell you. I did I just--."

"I mean... I don't get it. You promised me when you came back you would tell me. You promised me, Sakura. You knew. For almost two weeks you _knew_. You went on this damned mission with me, knowing how hard this all was. You knew everything." His voice turned bitter. "And Minato knew too, didn't he? This entire time? Didn't he? He set this all up. That's why you became my student. That's why your whole team became my students! I can almost say I expect it from him... but you?"

She shook her head, crying. "I didn't tell you because I know you, Kakashi. If you didn't make the connection your own you would never have believed me. I mean time travel? Really?"

"You didn't even try!"

"I did in my own way! Can't you see that? You think this has been easy for me? I was the one who went back. I was the one who grew up with you, knowing you were my teacher. My point of view of you was very different, Kakashi."

"That doesn't matter. You could have tried. You could have talked to me!"

"And had you hate me for thinking I trying to play some sick joke on you? How is that better? You still would have hated me, Crow."

He stared down at her, eyes cold, hard and filled with pain. He didn't know what to say to her. Part of him wanted to agree with her. Part of him didn't want to be angry at her at all. His heart just ached to hold her. To kiss her after sixteen long... heartbreaking years... She hadn't waited as long as he had...

...but that thought only made him angry again. And as he started down at her, catching sight of the glint around her neck he growled. He reached for it, pulling on the chain and snapping it away from her neck as he cried out.

"Kakashi--!"

He half shoved it in her face. "No, Sakura," he said in a cool, even, dark tone still filled with pain. "You could have showed me this. You could have tried. You could have been honest with me! You didn't have to string me along... you didn't...." He shook his head and took a step back, exhaling evenly as he closed his eyes. He had to stop now. Before he did something stupid. Like hit her. No matter how angry he was he wouldn't do that.

He turned and walked away, out of the bathroom. She called over him. "Crow!" But he was already slamming the door in her face, mask firmly in place and fading into the shadows of the hallway.

He was broken, angry, tormented and most all.... he felt betrayed.

By the woman he loved most.


	58. Chapter 58

**..Chapter Fifty-Eight..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight_

_Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time_

_I am here still waiting though I still have my doubts_

_I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out_

_I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing_

_With a broken heart that's still beating_

_In the pain there is healing_

_In your name I find meaning_

_So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on_

_I'm barely holdin' on to you_

_--Lifehouse, Broken_

**..**

**.**

Bare palms were placed against the door as it shut, slammed, in her face. Her body sagged as she cried out in despair. The sound that erupted from her chest and dispelled from her mouth was nothing short of the cry of an wounded animal in pain. How tears streaked down her cheeks and stained her face. She banged on the solid oak of the door as if somehow doing so would bring him back to her. Her long bangs fell in front of her face, sticking to the liquid mess. Her face was red and puffy. Mucus began to release itself from her nasal cavities.

She slid down the door and onto the floor like an abandoned rag doll; the torn pieces of her heart in tatters in her open hands. She couldn't stop crying, she couldn't stop shaking, she couldn't stop herself from breaking down all over again. She reached up and began to dig at her scalp, as if physical pain would keep her from all the emotional pain. She pulled her hands down and began to bang into the floor just as she'd done that night in her apartment. She hit without chakra and until her hands hurt, until she could feel them cutting with bruises and blood.

What had she expected to happen when he found out? For him to take her in his arms? Hold her? Kiss her as if she were his life source? The air he breathed? What had she expected? No matter how she did this she was damned for him to be angry at her. If she had told him the truth he never would have believed her, as wounded and tormented as he was. He never would have thought to use that eye technique. And she didn't even know it could be used like that. Her knowledge of the Sharingan was mostly medical. She knew nothing of it's mind reading abilities or hypnosis techniques. And here, after not telling him, after he found out, he had still become mad at her.

She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't.

Her breath hitched and she let out another cry, this time more of a scream. Her face scrunched as he did so, filled with pain and rage. At herself. At him. At Eon. But really.. most of all her herself.

She supposed she was thankful now the sound nullification technique they'd set up around the room days ago. Because no one would hear her cries of rage, pain and utter despair. She wanted to hit things. She wanted to break things. She wanted work her body until she fell into a tired heap and lost all of her senses both physically and emotionally.

He hated her...

She hugged herself tight, clenching her eyes tightly shut. He hated her and she had no idea what to do. He might never want her again. He might never love her again. After all she'd put him through over the last sixteen years why shouldn't he? Who had she been kidding? Maybe it _was_ her fault. Maybe if she had just kept him at a distance. Maybe if she had never tried to love him at all. Maybe if she had just ignored how she felt and never bloody well joined ANBU in the past... maybe if she never crossed that line they use to hold in the future. It she had only kept him as her teacher, a man she admired then maybe none of this would have happened.

At least then he wouldn't have had to wait for her, tortured and mentally damaged beyond repair. And now... now who knew what she had done to him...

He _hated_ her.

Nothing hurt more than that. Nothing would ever hurt more than the searing pain of him ripping the necklace right of her neck. The only thing that might ever come close to that moment was perhaps the uneven, tearing way he had searched through her memories. If it had been anyone else who had done it she would have called it mental rape. It had felt nothing like it had when he'd used it for a different reason. He roughly plowed through her memories with the care of a bull in heat. She'd felt exposed, torn and weak.

She sighed and tried to subside her tears over everything.

She was sure if he hadn't been so upset to begin with he would have been gentler about it. If she had known about it this whole thing would have been easier. Then days ago she could have just told him to use it on her and prove who she was.

But how had he found out? If he was mad beforehand something must have triggered it.

She blinked her eyes open and wiped her tears. She stood up on shaky feet and looked around the room. But nothing was really out of place. Her eyes fell to the table and spied a photo... one she had not seen in a long time. One Sasuke, Naruto and her had taken and given to Minato. But there next it was a picture of team seven, minus Kakashi, all wearing Jounin uniforms. Her eyes narrowed as she picked it up. She hadn't gotten the memory yet, but it appeared Sasuke and Naruto had both made Jounin with her in this time...

She began scanning through the paperwork and realized they were blood samples of them then and now from medical reviews. He'd compared the two... and connected the dots... but how had he...

Pakkun.

It made little difference in the long haul she supposed. Her eyes looked over the table further and landed on a leather bound journal. She was compelled and reached for it. As her hand opened it it fell to the final entry because the binds had been bend back more soundly there. And Sakura read.

As she read her face changed from one emotion to the next. Sadness, grief, confusion, realization and then... she was crying all over again as the book dropped to the table like it had burned her hands. No wonder he was so angry with her... doing that... it had to be the most painful thing for him.

How could she face him again? Tomorrow? The entire trip home?

She couldn't.

Love she decided, as she raced about the room to get dressed and grab her things to leave this very night, was as perfect and it was flawed. She couldn't help the torrent of tears that continued to streak down her face and she ran about the room and stuffed things into her pack; as she roughly put on her clothes and armor.

Not wanting to be seen or questioned by anyone Sakura moved towards the clear window pane of the panoramic window and reached for the latch. She unhooked it open and moved out onto the wall of the palace with chakra holding her to it. She shut the window back and ran.

She ran past the gates of the palace, past the ones of the city and into the forest. She avoided the path as she forced strength into her legs and chakra into her feet. She didn't stop, she didn't take a break. She hurt to much to see sense. Panic, pain and hurt ran through her body and mind like the crashing waves of an out of control storm. Vines whipped at her face and snapped under contact. A few branches broke in her haste. She suffered wounds a tenfold. But she hardly noticed. After all, what were a few hundred physical wounds to a woman who'd literally ripped the heart out of the man she loved?

Her chest ached, her face hurt, her knees hurt and her feet felt like they were on fire. She didn't stop; even as the sun rose in the east declaring morning like the sound of a songbird. She didn't stop when it rained halfway through the day. She didn't stop when winds shoved at her body, mother nature trying to tell her to take a rest.

All she could think about was the way his face had looked at her, how his eyes had torn at her heart and soul, declaring just how much she'd really hurt him. She could still hear his voice, his words ringing in her ears, blaming her. She could still feel his hands gripping her shoulders in a vice as if she'd been the one who'd killed his humanity.

"What have I done?"

ooo

Mikoto lifted the little girl into her arms who was sound asleep and smiled at the boys lounging around the living room. "I'll see you all tomorrow." She gave an idle wave. She rolled her eyes when all she got was a wave back and a rather incoherent goodbye from Naruto and Itachi. As she turned towards the door she was a little surprised by the gentle hand on her shoulder and turned around, face curious.

Sasuke looked at her as though he was deeply worried. "Do you need me to walk you there?"

She laughed softly at him and reached over, giving him a soft hug, careful not to wake her granddaughter. "You always were my special one." She smiled as she pulled back and ruffled his hair. Normally he'd scowl and swat her hand away, saying something about how she didn't need to keep treating him like a child when he was already a Jounin. But he didn't. He just kept staring at her like he didn't think she'd come back tomorrow.

He'd been doing that for almost two weeks now. He'd stare at her as though he'd hadn't seen her in years.

Where normally he'd ask what was for supper and wader off after she delivered a reply now he simply came into the kitchen and asked what he could help her with. Where usually she'd straiten his shirt and wipe away the lint he'd grumble, all he'd do now was stare at her as though she'd done the most wonderful thing in the world. She'd watched curiously as he'd helped her around the house in favor of sleeping in and staying out late with his friends.

He helped her get food for dinner in the market. He'd watched his niece when she'd felt especially tired and ushered her to get some rest. He'd done laundry one day before she'd gotten up. She didn't even know he knew how to do that. It had been one of the bigger shocks during this entire lapse in his normal grumpy behavior.

In truth she never felt more appreciated, more loved by her youngest son. It was like he'd changed over night. But, while she loved this side of him and certainly wasn't going to tell him to stop picking up after himself when she had so much to do with house full of two boys, a girl and only one other woman who had just as much as she did between shinobi duties and house work... well, she was beginning to worry about him.

"I can stay with you and help if you'd like," he offered softly, eyes narrowing softer still.

She sighed and adjusted the weight of the girl in her arms. "Sasuke... are you alright? You've been acting strangely for a while now. Certainly you have other things to do? Such as spending time with your friends? Training? A new mission perhaps?"

He just sorta kept staring at her, as though he didn't know how to reply. He dug his hands into his pockets as he looked at the floor. "I guess... I guess I'm just making up for lost time. I know I've not always been the best son. I'm sure I've put you through a lot of hell over the years..."

She chuckled again. "Boys do that, Sasuke. It's certainly alright. But... " she said with slight humor, "if you want to make it up to me... you could start looking for a girlfriend... A few more grandchildren might be nice now that my two boys are grown up."

"Yeah... well..." he scratched the back of his head, trying to think of some way to avoid this conversation. "Women are... "

"Annoying?" She provided with a grin. "You always say that. I suppose I can't blame you. It's not like you inherited your good looks from your father." She winked at him, nearly laughing when he blushed.

"Mom..."

"Aw... well, it's true you know. That's why all the girls bother you. But, not all of them are that bad," she murmured in quiet thought. "What about Sakura? Your team mate? I know she bothered you in the past, but for a few years now she's seemed rather goal driven. She's lovely and well accomplished." At his blank expression she continued. "Sasuke, just because your brother married within the clan doesn't mean you have to. No one will think less of you because of it."

"Oh, no, it's not that..." He blinked. "It's just..." And then he frowned, sighing.

"I see... she's already attached?" When he didn't say anything she figured her guess was right. "I'm sorry..."

"Why?" He looked bewildered.

"Well..." she sighed out in return, "I know you care a lot about her. You're very close with your team. I can see that when they're over here and when you pass by me in town. Whenever I've spoken with her while she's here she's always spoken fondly of you... I suppose..." she drifted off.

"What?"

"I guess I just assumed you'd always end up with her. I thought you were in love with her, Sasuke. I can usually read my boys fairly well." She smiled. "It's alright. I have to be wrong sometimes, right?" Her eyes trailed to the clock on the hallways wall as it bonged a few times. "Damn... I really need to get going. You'll be ok, won't you?"

He nodded and shook out of his daze. "You don't need any help getting there? You're sure?"

"Yes, Sasuke," she chuckled out as she headed to the door and he opened for her. "I'll be fine. It's only six blocks to meet Seiya. Ok?"

"Alright." He smiled and watched as she wandered on down the bare path towards the street. He didn't close the door until she was out sight. He would have followed her the whole way there, but he knew she'd scold him for it. His mother might not exactly be an active shinobi, but she was still just as keen.

As he headed back to the living room he thought her words over. It was odd to say the least. He hadn't expected it. But then, maybe he just didn't hide his feelings as well as he use to anymore. There were many things he didn't do as well anymore, but none of them really bad.

He stopped as he reached the living room and barely glanced at the back of his bother's head and Naruto's on the couch.

Six years ago before they'd made the trip he'd been cruel to her. Not just cruel. Horrible. She'd pined over him, taken care of him, and practically saved him from Orochimaru when no one else could as Naruto fought the beast off. If it hadn't been for the both of them who knew what would of happened to him.

He hadn't left her or Konoha because he wanted to. He'd left because he had to. Like Kakashi was in his youth, he'd been just as angry, just as cold and walked around with what some coined as a stick up his ass. He'd been angry at his brother for all the things he'd done to his life. He blamed him for turning into the ass he was. And in being gone for so long he'd learned a little humility. Kakashi had not gone easy on him. And he'd kicked him on his ass more than once during that trip. They hadn't gotten personal about his past... but the old man had taught him he wasn't as great as he imagined himself to be.

When he'd woken up years ago in that time with her gone and Naruto by his side in the bed he'd told himself wasn't in love with her. And he hadn't been. He really hadn't. As the years had gone by, and as he watched her get closer and closer to Kakashi he briefly wondered what it would be like. He'd watched her day in and out as the pain raced across her face. As she tried to get up every morning and sort out what to do. He'd comforted her during that time. He'd talk to her about things he never in a million years thought he'd ever talk to her about. All three of them had grown close as a team. But there was just something he'd always have with Sakura he'd never have with Naruto.

He closed his eyes and resisted the urge to sigh.

He hadn't told her then because he knew it would only confuse her. And he wouldn't tell her now. Not when she was so close to gaining her own sense of happiness. But in the time he'd spent with her, curled up on the couch as she cried on his shoulder he had started to have feelings for her. That's why he'd told her before they left he would give her whatever she needed if something did happen, whatever it was. And because her happiness was more important, that's why he'd told her to love Kakashi if that's what she wanted to do.

Sasuke _had_ been in love with her. The sort of love that would likely having him drinking himself stupid under the right conditions. But he hadn't. And as those years had passed, as she had gotten even closer with Kakashi he told himself he was ok with it. He'd gotten over it and he'd moved on. It wasn't that he hadn't hurt over it. It just wasn't the same thing she had with Kakashi. Like he'd told himself before, if she ever did change her mind, which she wouldn't, their love wouldn't be passionate or quick to ignite. It would be slow and languorous. They would take their time.

All men still held a candle for their first love, their first crush, long into the days of old age. But they never cried over it or hurt. They looked back on it with a smile. And that was something he could do now. Smile on it.

He would do anything for Sakura. Not just because of how he had felt for her, but because she was one of his best friends. Sasuke wasn't the boy he once had been. He wasn't the one who thought everyone was beneath him and power was everything. Naruto had taught him that. Kakashi had taught him that. Sakura, most of all, had taught him that.

Sakura was special. She wasn't like other girls and she never would be. As a woman she was beautiful, headstrong, driven and carried a grace that couldn't be matched. A man would be stupid to spend so much time with her and _not_ fall in love her for even a brief moment in time. That was just as a fact as far as he was concerned.

He walked across the room and about the couch, flopping down next to Naruto and his brother. He gazed at the television idly while they both hammered away at playing some video game. It wasn't all that surprising it was a ninja video game. And it appeared as though Itachi was kicking the blond's ass into next week.

He smirked and reached forward, grabbing a wad of popcorn from the bowl in the center of the coffee table. "Say, where did she have to go anyway?"

Itachi's fingers clicked away at the keypad as he replied. "Seiya volunteered to with a half dozen other shinobi to help out at the Academy tonight. They're sending the students on a minor mission in the woods for survival training. Mom's one of the judges. Mei went with her to observe since she's not old enough."

"Ah.." he replied.

Naruto snickered.

Sasuke arched a brow. "What are you laughing about?"

"Oh, nothing, Konohamaru was one of the few students forced to lead a three student group around because of the fight Kushina had to break up he was involved in."

"Poor kid..." Itachi muttered, laying the final blow into Naruto's character.

"Damnit, you beat me again," he whined. "Even with the weak character. How do you do it?"

Itachi smirked as he set down his controller and switched the TV over to some show. "I'm the ANBU, remember?"

"Ha... Whatever."

Sasuke chuckled as he sat back in the couch and watched the programming.

"Is this what we're going to do all night? Watch fucking TV?" Naruto grouched out.

"You're just bitching cause I kicked your ass," Itachi with an air of superiority.

"We should go somewhere. Three men hanging out together on a Friday night is not my idea of a good time. In fact, it's kinda gay," he said, ignoring Itachi's insult.

"What's wrong with being gay?" Sasuke asked, his lips twitching.

"Nothing, unless you're perfectly straight."

Itachi snorted.

"What the hell was that response for?" Naruto asked, looking over at him.

Itachi shrugged, eyes on the TV. "Oh, nothing... just that.." he paused slightly with a half smiled. "Well... you and Sasuke are about as gay as they come."

Sasuke said nothing, but tried desperately not to smile at the way he was trying to get a rise out of Naruto.

Naruto's jaw dropped.

Silence.

And then all hell broke loose.

"I am not gay!" Naruto shouted.

"Could of fooled me," Itachi replied. "I mean, Sasuke hasn't been with a woman...well.. ever as far as I know. And you? Hell, you've got the Hyuuga heiress trailing after you like a dog in heat and you still haven't done anything. Aside from Sakura the amount of women you come in contact with physically is sad at best."

"Which is why we should go out?" Naruto said with a raised sarcastic tone. "Anything is better than sitting around in this sausage fest."

Sasuke put his arm over Naruto's shoulders and sighed. "What? I'm not good enough for you anymore? You didn't say any of this last night," he dramatized his humor is mock hurt.

Naruto blushed in half anger and shoved at him. "Get off me, you prick. Go hump Sai. He's about as gay as they come."

Sasuke just kept pushing. After all, aside from kicking his ass, annoying Naruto was his next favorite hobby. "But I don't want him.. I want you." Thank god he was comfortable with his sexuality or this might border on insane. But hey, he was in a good mood and had been since he got home.

"Get a room," Itachi muttered with a smirk. "I'm trying to watch Jiraiya's latest attempt at a late night NC-17 film. It might not be live, but at least it has women in it."

But all he got in reply was Naruto trying to fight off Sasuke's humorous advances while his brother reached for his hair and Kami only knew what else. It was all in good fun. He really had been joking. Who wouldn't considering the two of them? Half of the shinobi population in Konoha liked to joke about it as well, even if they knew the truth.

When a knock sounded at the door he looked over at them. "Either of you two want to get that?" He sighed as Naruto tried to punch Sasuke for getting too close to his face. At some point they'd ended up on the floor and were rolling around in some mock version of a wrestling match. Now _that_ was a sausage fest.

He shook his head and stood up to go answer the door. Whoever would be calling on them this time of night? Maybe one of rookie nine had come to ask them out for drinks? Perhaps another girl trying to hound after his brother? He doubted it was Hinata. She'd be more likely to stare at the door and blush than actually knock. Poor thing really had it bad.

He reached for the knob and turned the handle, swinging it open slowly. "Yes?"

Before him stood a girl garbed in ANBU attire. He didn't know who she was because her face was covered in a white mask with pink petals dancing across it.. He couldn't see her hair because she looked to have soaked to the bone. It was either tied back or slicked down. Maybe both.

"Is Sasuke here?"

He blinked in surprise. "Sakura...?" His eyes narrowed in concern as his hand released the door and he came forward. "Are you alright?" He looked over form over as she removed the mask. Her body was not only soaked but beaten badly with cuts, bruises and wounds.

"Who's at the door?" Itachi heard from behind him. But before he could answer Sasuke pushed past him.

"Sakura, what in the he--."

"Oh, Sasuke..." she whispered out as she lifted her tear ridden face and ran into his arms. She clung to him like an animal starved for attention. She clung to him and cried. Her body shook from the cold and fatigue.

His eyes went wide as he collided with his body. As her gloved digits clung into the upper part of his back he had to bite back a curse of pain. His eyes eventually softened and his arms came about her. He tried to get her to walk with him. But it appeared she could barely move. Worried and concerned he reached under her knees and lifted her. She hid her face in the crook of his neck as he carried her down the hallway. But she didn't stop crying, or shaking.

He walked past Naruto and set her down on the couch.

"What... what happened?" Naruto asked, eyes wide and filled with concern.

He had to give the boy credit. He could be loud and obnoxious most of the time. But he knew when not to be. He had enough sense to know when someone he cared about didn't need him freaking out.

He reached down and started to remove her armor, shoes and gloves. With each slow removal he felt a little more of her skin. It was like ice. She must have been running hard for a while to keep herself from collapsing from the chill and frigidity. But now that she'd stopped moving the cold was setting in.

"Sakura, I need to strip you down. Alright?"

She nodded, but didn't say anything.

Sasuke looked up at Naruto from his kneeling position. "Go to my room and look in the bottom drawer of my dresser. Get a pair of long pajama pants and a shirt. We need to warm her up."

Without replying the boy hurried off to comply.

In the meantime Sasuke turned back to his work of taking off her clothes.

"Do you want me to leave?" Itachi asked as he set a blanket down on the floor next to him.

"It's fine," Sakura managed to get out.

Sasuke would have smiled at her ability to be so level headed about her nudity in a situation like this, but he was far too worried about getting her warm. He was far too worried about those tears silently falling down her face as she shook. "Could you go make her some soup?"

Itachi nodded and left the room.

By the time he stripped her down Naruto had already returned, clothes on hand. While Sakura might be just fine with her nudity he had enough respect for her to her to ger her dressed as quickly as possible. Once he was done he pulled the blanket Itachi had brought over her shivering body.

"T-Thank you.." she whispered.

"You need to go to the hospital tomorrow, you know. Especially if you get a fever."

She nodded numbly, lip quivering as she stared up at the ceiling.

"What in the hell did you do? Run at break neck speed all the way back to Konoha?"

At her silence Naruto balked. "_Why_?"

And then her eyes closed and she stared to cry all over again.

Sasuke took her hand as Naruto knelt next to him. "Sakura, what _happened_? Where is Kakashi?"

"He found out," she whispered with a strained and cracking voice.

Naruto's reached up and brushed aside a few strands of her wet hair. "Then why are you crying, Sakura?" His voice was soft.

She just kept crying, harder if it was possible as she relayed then entire story to them. From the way he used the Sharingan right to when he ripped the necklace off her neck. Somewhere in between all of this Itachi had come back in, bowl of steaming hot miso soup in hand on a tray. His eyes narrowed as much as the others. He noted how as she told more and more how Naruto's lips drew to a flatter line and how Sasuke's eyes simply narrowed in some finessed form of checked rage.

When she was done, all of it out of her system Sasuke moved to sit with her. He held her as continued to cry, he brushed back her hair as she let loose a torrent on his shirt. And when she fell asleep, exhausted, Sasuke gently set her down. Naruto tucked the blanket around her. Itachi simply set the tray on the coffee table and all three men left the living room as quietly as possible.

Itachi trailed after the two of them as his brother headed for the door.

"We need to go find that bastard and knock some fucking sense into him," Naruto said in a low angered tone as he followed his team mate.

Sasuke turned around as he opened the door. His narrowed eyes leveled on Itachi's. "Do you know where Uchiha Obito lives?"

"Why in the hell do we need to know that? Kakashi--," Naruto started again, frustrated.

"Because, Naruto," Sasuke said as his hardened gaze found him, "we're doing this my way first. Got it? Now," he said calmly, but evenly with contained rage to Itachi, "where does Uchiha Obito live?"


	59. Chapter 59

**..Chapter Fifty-Nine..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_I miss the years that were erased_

_I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face_

_I miss all the little things_

_I never thought that they'd mean everything to me_

_Yeah, I miss you_

_And I wish you were here_

_--Lifehouse, From Where You Are_

**..**

**.**

Uchiha Obito could be described as many things by his peers. He'd heard them all. Loud, hyperactive, comedic and sometimes embarrassingly klutzy. He had been many of those things in his youth, even tardy for any number of things like his former partner. But these days he feigned most of it to make people think he was a lazy, good for nothing ninja. Eh, mostly his enemies. It was pretty hard to look at yourself in the morning the next day if your ass had been kicked by someone who appeared inept at his job. And funny too.

As a boy he'd been temperamental, quick to cry and always wore his heart on his sleeve. Some of those qualities had stayed with him as he grew. He still had a tendency to trust people a little too quickly. But this was something he did not consider to be a bad thing. So long as said person was not holding a kunai to his throat. That was usually a pretty big sign that his trust was misplaced. He had a 'bad' habit of looking for the good in everyone. One easy example being his best friend and Konoha's number one lazy eyed shinobi who was far later for everything even more often than he was.

When Obito graduated the Academy at the age of nine he'd been told to wait for his Jounin sensei on the roof of the tower just as class left out. He had been told his usual lateness would not be tolerated by his teacher. Fearful, the young lad had tried to make it on time. Really, he had. And unlike Kakashi he usually did get sidetracked helping people. It wasn't just a series of excuses he made up. And on that particular day there had been this little girl who'd scraped her knee. She'd been crying because she couldn't find her mother. Well... being the good guy he was he had to help her, didn't he? Suffice it to say he'd made it to the roof of the Hokage Tower a whole hour later than acceptable.

He hadn't known what to expect from his new team. He did know he'd planned on apologizing. When he made his way around the bend of stairs and got his first glimpse of them his eyes had not drawn to Kakashi, but to Rin. She'd been in his class since his first day at the Academy and he'd been thrilled at the sight of her. He was in love with her and had been as far back as he could recall. Talking to her had never been a problem then. She was always easy to talk to, always kind and very tolerant of his exuberant attitude that was nothing like his clan heritage.

The moment he'd walked up to meet his team though... well, sparks had clashed between he and the silver haired boy. After introducing himself and holding out his hand all he got in reply was a stare at his hand, a glare and then, 'I don't like losers who can't even manage to make it somewhere on time.... '. Obito had been shocked at first. At first anyway. Then anger set in. Insults flew back and forth. And before both boys knew what was going on they were being pulled apart by both Rin and Minato.

A line had been drawn that day. Kakashi hated him. He hated Kakashi. And it really appeared as though nothing would change that. It had only gotten worse when Rin confided in him that she thought she might have feelings for their team mate. It escalated because he felt like the silver haired Chuunin was trying to steal everything from him with as much effort as a sloth. They became rivals and more often than naught left Rin completely in the dust during training sessions or missions; each one trying to be better than the other; Kakashi trying to stay ahead of him and Obito continuing to bite back a curse as he tried to catch up.

He'd hated everything about him. He never understood why he wore that damned mask like he had something to hide. He'd hated his regality, his callousness to the general populous who needed their help, he hated how Minato appeared to give him more attention during training. He hated how he knew their sensei better than they did. How he lived with him and got more time with the man. He hated the way he felt he was always left with the short end of the stick in regards to his team mate; to the point of nearly killing him one night. Had it not been for Minato pulling them apart and Rin's cries in his ear who knew what would have happened.

He generally assumed he would never get along with him and accepted this. He didn't want to learn anything about him. Whatever reason, he'd assumed then, the boy had for being such a prick couldn't be that great.

How _wrong_ he had been.

Learning from Minato about Kakashi's father really had hurt. Many people, many young shinobi who had fought in the Third War knew the loss of a parent. He'd lost his own two to the Second. It was that night he felt as though perhaps Kakashi's mask really wasn't all that terrible, that maybe his regality was simply a way of keeping people at a distance, that maybe his callousness was his way of keeping his emotions from ever coming to the surface. And then it hadn't really bothered him how much time his sensei spent with Kakashi. Because at least Obito still had his sister where Kakashi had no one.

And when they'd been given an assignment with Kakashi as the captain and Rin had been captured he didn't feel that same hate for him when he told him they needed to keep moving. No, instead he'd summoned that all encompassing care and understanding he gave to so many people and had told him just what a great man he thought his father really had been. And then he'd run off into the night to save the girl he loved with all his heart.

Giving his eye to a boy he quickly and easily considered his best friend had been the single most greatest thing he'd felt he would ever do. At that point, near the end of his life, he assumed if he couldn't live up to being as great a man as the one his best friend would become then he would settle for having at least a hand in his greatness.

Living on to watch his greatness come to fruition was not something he expected. But watching him go through life half dead had really been the worst of it all. Losing Sakura had been the hardest thing for him, living on without her had been worse. As he'd watched the years go by for Kakashi he'd kept his tongue firmly in his mouth. Telling him to move on would have probably gotten him thrown through a wall. But after about nine or so years of watching him kill himself he could stand it no longer. He had been thrown a wall. It had been painful. But at least he'd gotten off his chest. Yelling at him to move on with his life hadn't been the best idea. But he'd only done it out of concern for him. Nothing more.

He'd secretly pitied him when he got a glimpse of the lone girl on his team. But no amount of asking if Minato had lost his mind had gotten the ebony haired Uchiha anywhere.

It was painful for Kakashi, sure. But it was that much harder for him because he had to watch him go through it. But good friends stuck by their buddies during the high and the low points. Obito was one of those friends you couldn't pry away even with the threat of leeches. So, no matter how bad it was for him to watch he hadn't gone anywhere.

His single coal black orb drew up to the window as he pondered these many things, distracted when he should be going over the new files of Academy recruits who'd applied to become a shinobi. He could faintly hear Rin trying to sort out dinner in the background next to him.

"Obito?"

"Huh..?" He blinked as he looked over at his wife.

She frowned. "Did you hear anything I said just now?"

He smiled sadly and looked down at the files in font of him. "No, sorry... I guess I was distracted."

"Well, if you're done being distracted, do you think you could answer the door? Someone's been knocking for a good minute now."

"Sure." He stood up rather lazily and crossed the threshold to the living room. He heard the knocking she was referring to and sighed. "I'm coming! Hold on a damn minute!" His frustration was intensified as he nearly tripped over a pack in the middle of the floor. "Tell Bella to clean up her mess tomorrow!"

"She's on a mission for three days!" His wife hollered back.

At this his simply sighed in defeat and reached for the doorknob. He wasn't in the worst mood when he opened it but certainly not the best either. He didn't know who to expect at this late hour as he opened the door. But whoever did come to mind it wasn't Uchiha Sasuke, Namikaze Naruto or Uchiha Itachi. He blinked a few times.

Naruto looked ready to break something. And while he had no problem inviting them in he really was tempted to ask him to stay outside for fear of his valuables. Sasuke himself stared at him as though he'd kicked his kitten. As for Itachi? He didn't exactly look happy, but nearly as confused as to why they were there to begin with.

"Ah... "

"We need to speak with you," Sasuke stated flatly. "May we come in?"

He stared at them for a while longer, the lazy side of himself half trying to come up with an excuse as why they couldn't. The concerned side was trying to find a way to kick the lazy side into next week. And unfortunately--for the lazy side--he was all out of excuses today. Even the false ones. He doubted something like, 'You'll have to come back later, I've lost my mind under the bed.' would go over very well with the way the three man group practically shot off hate in waves.

With a sigh he said, "Sure, why not." So much for a quiet evening with his wife. Clearly the fates had other objectives in mind for him. He stepped away from the door and held it open for them to enter, waving his hand in the general direction of his living room.

"Dare I ask what this is all about?" It was a question he felt he would come to regret as he took a seat with the other men.

Sasuke sat across from him in a large, comfortable brown chair. his legs spread slightly and his elbows rested on his knees. As his hands came up to clasp one anther and a shadow half fell over his cold, indifferent eyes Obito realized it was a look he had never really seen on the younger Uchiha.

"Obito?"

He slowly tore his gaze away from that murderous intent to look over at the kitchen entrance. "Yes?"

"Who was at the door?"

He paused as he looked at Sasuke.

"You might as well call her in here. This involves her as well," was all he said lowly.

He sighed. He just knew tonight was going to be a bad one. A chair breaking under him in the hospital as he waited on his wife hadn't been a good sign either. "Come here, Rin. I have feeling this is going to be a long night," he replied.

The violet-brown haired woman looked happy as she came in at first, seeing who was visiting her. She smiled all the way until she saw their faces. She paused and her fingers touched her lips. "Oh my... what happened?"

But Sasuke ignored her. "Tell me, Obito. How many years has it been since you last saw Sakura?"

He arched a brow. "Years? I saw her a week--."

"Kakashi's fiance."

Rin frowned as she slowly sat down. "You must mean..."

Sasuke nodded. "Yes, I do. Kaioh Sakura. My memory is a bit fuzzy. Or maybe I just feel like hearing a story. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've been told she was the greatest medics of her time. Tsunade's second coming? That's what people called her right? And her team mates?" He said smoothly. "What were their names, again? People hardly remember.... you know."

"That's because people don't," Obito replied truthfully, still quite unsure as to where this was all going.

"I don't understand what's going on," Rin whispered as she looked around at the three men. "What's happened? Why are you asking us about this?"

Naruto, stewing next to his team mate really had a hard time of keeping his outbursts in line. And finally, feeling his brink had been reached just let it out. "For Kami's sake, Sasuke! Just tell them already! Tell them it's us! We don't have time for this shit! And I'm sick of waiting on you! Kakashi could be home any minute now, and I want to be there to beat some fucking sense into that jackass!"

Sasuke remained impassive to his team mate's outburst. No, his eyes remained fixed on Obito; narrowed and unchanging.

Obito's eyes narrowed as well. His lips drew a flat line and he held that gaze.

Rin however was less silent. Her mind was racing at the speed of light trying figure out what he was saying. "Wait... are you... you're..." And then it dawned on her. Her eyes went wide and it was like a whole series of memories went sailing through her mind. From the overheard conversation between Minato and Kushina, the fact that files had been burned on Her team, the questions Pakkun had asked her about the birth of team seven and if she had been there. All of it came at her like the speed of a bright lights and summed itself up in her head. "Oh my god..." she whispered, wide eyed.

"It's you. And Sakura.. she's--."

"Yes," Itachi replied. "Haruno Sakura and Kaioh Sakura are one and the same. My brother and Naruto are those very same people."

"How?" Obito asked, blinking.

"I think it would be better to show you rather than ask, don't you?" Sasuke replied as he closed his eyes. Once they were reopened twin pools of ebony were replaced with red and black. "Of course, unlike your best friend I won't be raping a young woman's mind."

"What?"

"You'll understand once you let me show you," he replied tightly.

"Fine..." he agreed finally, confused. His open eyed gaze leveled on Sasuke's as he too activated his Sharingan. As soon as Sasuke connected with his mind, swirling pools dancing like a swirling haze he felt himself taken back and away from the room he was in. Everything melted away as he sailed through a thousand memories. One's of a place he didn't recognize. Where Tsunade was the Hokage, where Rin was no where to be seen and where he was not once spoken of by his best friend. Where his sensei was dead and Naruto had no one but his team and his friends. Where the Uchiha clan had become exterminated by Sasuke's brother for reasons he didn't understand.

His mind traveled onward. He saw a man named Eon telling them of a mission. He watched as Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke mended his broken body. He watched more, so much more. And with each bit, each small shred of information it all became clear. And Sasuke didn't let up until he'd brought him all the way up to the current moment. When he released him he fell back into the softness of the couch, panting lightly and still staring at him as he remained impassive. If that whole experience had bothered the younger Uchiha he wasn't allowing it to show.

"Does it make sense now?"

"You want me to talk to him?"

Sasuke nodded, finally allowing himself to relax back into the cushions of the chair as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Yes."

Obito's eyes narrowed as the erratic beatings of his heart came under control from an experience like that. He faintly felt the grip of his wife's hand tightening on his own. He didn't really feel completely settled by the very way Sasuke appeared so undaunted after doing that. But he a feeling the rage in his eyes was a pretty big indicator that he just didn't care how it had affected him and felt no need to show it. It was a side that very much reminded him of the man he knew in the past rather than the former boy in the present.

All those thoughts from earlier came running back. How much his best friend had suffered, how much pain he'd went through, much hard it had been for him to watch that silver haired lazy-ass he loved like a brother kill himself, drink himself stupid like his life no longer had a meaning.

And it was with these thoughts in mind he replied. "You know, not that I don't understand your situation.... But, you seem to be forgetting just how much my best friend suffered all these years. Or haven't you seen the way he walks around the village? Half dead and looking for a reason any reason to have someone piss him off just so he can have a good excuse to die and end it all? Because I have."

Naruto stood up, jaw clenched and eyes narrowed. "You don't think she suffered? You didn't see the way she fought with herself night after night back then, trying to sort out not only her own feelings but if it was really fair to him to take the chance in the first place! We did. We saw it all... "

Obito stood as well, fixing his eyes on the blond. "Yeah? And that's suppose to make me fell better about the way she made him wait? It was moments for her. But for him? It was sixteen fucking years, whelp! You had to watch her cry night after night? Try ripping a bottle of Yin's best whiskey from your best friend while he tells you the best way to end his life! While he contemplates if it really would be that bad to go his father's route! You don't know how much he hated that; how much he swore to me he would never do that to me or the people who cared abut him most!"

"That wasn't her fault!" He argued back. "We didn't have a choice. There were lives at stake! Sakura's own happiness... she's always put it before what needed to be done," he whispered.

Obito snorted. "Try telling that to man when he's got nothing left to live for. Excuse me if I don't have too much sympathy for your girl or her tears."

"You..." Naruto saw red. "Ungrateful..! She saved your life!" He came forward, reaching for him with every intention of satisfying that urge t beat something into the ground. Even as Obito pulled for a kunai he was coming forward. But he was stopped short as he felt arms come up and under his own, holding him back.

"Calm down, Naruto," Itachi said behind him.

He glared as Rin held Obito back, holding onto his arm, the one gripping his kunai as he glared back.

"It killed her to leave him! She blamed herself when she saw the state he was in! He's--," Naruto cried out.

"Then she--!"

"Obito!"

He stopped short of his own interruption and refused to look down at his wife.

"Do you really think blaming them will solve anything?" She asked sternly, softly. When he did nothing but grunt and relax his stance she urged, "Obito." But he still didn't say anything. "Hate only breeds more hate. Fighting with them, rehashing the past, it won't help. They've both suffered. And I know you don't mean anything you've said about Sakura... You know how she loves him.... This wasn't her fault. It was circumstance... all if it."

"I know..." he muttered harshly. "I know," he whispered and he closed his eyes.

"Help them... Talk to Kakashi.... if you care about either of them you'll do what you know to be right and quit letting your resentment for the situation get the better of you."

She was right. She was always right. He didn't want to fight with Naruto. He loved his sensei's son. And he cared about Sakura as much as Kakashi did when she'd been nothing more than his student. He didn't have the heart tot be angry at them, really. and he didn't mean any of it. but years of watching Kakashi like he had... well, he supposed someone needed to be blamed.

With still narrowed eyes he looked down at Sasuke. "Let's say I talk to him, alright? What makes you think anything I have to say will do any good?"

Sasuke stood up and dug his hands into his pockets. "You're his best friend."

"Do you really think that makes a difference?"

"Compared to me talking to him? Yes. I don't know if you've noticed or not, but just because I'm not nearly as emotional as Naruto doesn't mean I wouldn't just love to go with his option. And I have a feeling if I got anywhere within ten feet of the man right now I'd might do just that." He shook his head. "We all care deeply about Sakura. And we rarely interfere with her life unless she asks. But this is just one of those times I have to step in and do something.

"Beating the shit out of him--even if I could manage that, because I know I can't take him even on a bad day--would do me no good and would only piss him off more. In the end he might even be more angry at her. Now, if you were to talk to him?" He shrugged. "It not just the fact that you his best friend, Obito. That's minor. Kakashi used an S-level technique on a fellow shinobi in a way that at one point in time in our clan's history he could have been whipped until he bled for it. Rape, regardless of why or how it's done, is unacceptable."

Obito remained silent as he regarded the younger male. He was right of course... the manne rin which Kakashi had used the technique... could have severely damaged Sakura's mind. It wasn't even allowed to be wielded in that manner unless you were interrogating a prisoner or in the middle of a battle for your life. And, he knew if it had been Rin who that had been done to, his wife or not, he might not be as cool headed as Sasuke. No... he'd probably be just as brash as Naruto.

"And if he doesn't listen to me?"

"Pray he does."


	60. Chapter 60

**..Chapter Sixty..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_The dining room fell silent_

_I can't believe what I just said_

_I just told my dad he's full of it_

_And I watched his face turn red_

_And I should've said, "I'm sorry"_

_But I matched him shout for shout_

_I can still hear that screen door slammin'_

_The night I called him out_

_He said, "Son it's gonna hurt me more than it hurts you"_

_But somehow I couldn't help but have my doubts_

_'Cause I'd seen my own dear brothers crawl back in the house_

_Each time they called the old man out_

_--Garth Brooks, The Night I Called The Old Man Out_

**..**

**.**

The wind danced a breeze strong enough across his open window to upset the chimes danging there. The one's his oldest daughter had made during an Academy free day or some holiday he couldn't quite recall. Most likely father's day, he presumed. His calm, half closed eyes of cool blue gaze in the direction of an equally blue sky. Clouds made a slow trek across the sun as it rose lazily in the distance; as if the old man in the orb of gold was still just as tired as he was and not quite ready to greet the morning. Birds fluttered about and a crow cawed from it's place on the tip of his nose depicted in the monument.

His own nose wrinkled in thought, a very uncommon occurrence on his face. But in his silent, lazy, half sleepy serenity he could almost feel that crow bothering his real nose. Idly, he scratched it before yawning.

He was tired, groggy, and laden down with messages, missions and people asking half a dozen questions before he even had a chance to sit down. His secretary wanted to know if he was going to accept the offer to have Konoha host the Chuunin exams again this year. Suna was suppose to and Mist had done so last year. Gaara himself didn't think the shinobi world was ready just yet for him, even if he'd been in the position for a few years now. Minato was considering replying that he'd help cohost just to get people use to his leadership. He didn't know why, honestly, the kid was worried to begin with. After all, the woman running Mist right now was said to be just as bloodthirsty as he once was. He'd met her. He knew first hand she just put up a good face for her village. Mist was a cutthroat place to earn a living... he understood her position.

Then there was the message from Star. The young leader there was trying to gain support in approval for becoming the sixth most recognized village in the shinobi world. Minato wasn't sure where he stood about that one yet. The message was still on his desk, unreplied to. Star was still fairly small. Waterfall had a better chance than they did for being named with an official Kage.

Then the festivals... the damned festivals. In a few weeks the summer festival was coming up in Konoha. He had all sorts of things to approve, read through and dictate for that. Then the fall festival and the winter. His wife was already bothering him about what gifts they needed to purchase early for the family and where to hide them from the girls and his oldest son. There would be a whole week without missions for anyone in the village then, plus bonuses to sign off for. The only people on duty would be those who volunteered. Even those would be done in shifts purely for Konoha's protection.

He didn't even want to start glaring at the stack of scrolls already mounting on his desk. All of them were from missions people had reported in on for the last two days. He could count at least twelve already there. And who knew how many hadn't made it to his office yet on the mail cart that went around the tower. Then there were the medical reviews from Tsunade. With the way that woman let paperwork pile up he had a feeling he was in for one hell of a snowball by the time the day was out.

Had Sarutobi ever had this much of a hassle on his hands? He couldn't even imagine Tsunade having been in his position in that former reality. The Hokage office probably wouldn't even have walking room with the way she procrastinated and drank.

Suffice it to say, with all these thoughts running around his head, troubling as they were, he barely registered the door opening to his office or the familiar presence. At that moment he was far too busy standing at his open window, trying to take in some of the fresh air to clear his head. He began to close his eyes, inhaling as he took in the moment, assuming for a mere second the person to enter was probably the guy with the mail cart, dropping off more things for him to look over.

It wasn't until he felt the faint blaring of a murderous and inflamed chakra signature that he turned around to look. His cold blue eyes widened as they came at him. But it was a little too late. Gloved hands gripped the front of his long, sleeveless, blue Hokage jacket-robe and he bit back a curse as the assailant slammed his back into the hard wooden wall if his office.

"You bastard!" Kakashi hissed as the mask of a crow hung around his neck. "You fucking knew! This whole damned time" He cried out, pulling back and slammed him into the wall again. "You were my father when I had no one! I gave you my trust! And this is how you repay me?! By backstabbing me?! By playing god with some sick, twisted idea of a game with my heart?!" With each and every accusation he slammed harder, pulling back and shoving him into the wall. "You think you know what's best for me?! Fuck you, old man! I am _not_ your tool!" With this he reared back, holding onto to him with one hand and slammed a closed fist in the lower half of his jaw.

Minato grunted, slamming back into the wall one final time. And this time the wall was no so forgiving. It gave way under the pressure of that blow and cracked.

He wanted to react, he just wasn't quite sure how. He didn't expect Kakashi or Sakura back for a few more weeks more. He was still reeling from the shock of the situation, trying his best to take every blow as he began to trying and figure out a way to deal with the situation. It had been some time since Kakashi had ever been this angry; angry enough to come at him with his fists. The last time he could recall was when was still a child, trying to recover from the loss of his father and mother.

Minato was never one to react rashly or too quickly. He always thought things through. and he usually had a plan in mind before he acted on any given situation. And this? Well, he was still trying to sort it out. What in the _hell_ had happened in Waterfall?

Finally though, he realized not doing anything at all was seriously going to put a hole in his wall. And he really didn't want to explain _why_ his youngest former student had done any of this to the council. Yeah, that would go over brilliantly. He could see it now. 'Well, you see... time travel... it's actually possible. And the Sakura you know now is actually that one I sent on a mission sixteen years ago. And she sorta fell for him. And I sorta kept it from him. And he just sorta beat me through a wall.' Yeah, that would go over _so well._

Narrowing his eyes Minato brought up his hands and reached out with a speed that had been bred into him since birth. He took Kakashi's right hand first. When his left hand come out he grabbed that too. With that same speed he twisted around his body, pulling his arms into a dreadfully painful position and slammed him against the same wall he'd been pushed into.

His eyes narrowed into deadly slits as Kakashi grunted. His voice was low, unmistakably deadly and right next to his ear as he spoke. "Do you honestly think just because I spend ninety percent of my day with my backside pressed into a chair," he breathed, "that I'm not the same man that the White Fang, your father, admitted defeat against? I've killed men twice your size, three times your age, with much more experience for far less than what you've done, boy." When he didn't reply, only cursing instead, Minato shoved him harder, more painfully. "I might be your friend, your surrogate father, but don't make the mistake of thinking just because I choose to remain calm and impassive that I still can't beat knuckles with the best of them. Men and women who outrank, outclass and know better than you, boy."

At this Kakashi yelled out a cry of rage, shoving back and despite the pain or risk to his arms and pushed until Minato found himself slamming into the opposite wall. A few items fell and crashed to the floor, some breaking in the onslaught. He blocked the fists that came at him as his former student turned around, taking his anger out on him once more.

"Don't talk to me like you still those rights," he cried out, punching and blocking. "You don't. You're not any better than her; any of them!" He grunted as Minato laid a blow to his stomach and an upper cut to his chin. He flew back, hitting a chair and breaking it on contact. Kakashi quickly recovered and reach for the half broken back, throwing at him.

Minato drew his hands up, blocking with his forearms in the shape of an X. The wooden fragments broke to even smaller pieces against them. When they shattered he pulled his arms away, only to dodge another series of blows and dealing a few of his own.

"I don't know why I didn't see it coming. You've always been a sneaky fucking bastard! Even when I was a kid, you kept shit from me! Acting like you were so damned superior! Even now you giving me bullshit lines; talking to me like I'm a guess what! I'm not! I never was! And you're not MY FATHER!

At this final word Minato saw rage. He'd never been so angry in his whole life. Before he knew it his fist was pulling back with blinding speed, aiming for the center of his former charge's face and smashing against it with much more force than he intended. He watched as the man he still considered a son, his first, flew back and crashed into the Hokage desk. The ages old timepiece broke, shattered under the force of his aim. Kakashi didn't move. He bled, he panted and he wondered briefly if he'd broken his nose.

Minato panted was well. He tried to get his breathing under control as he came forward and regarded Kakashi with the eyes of a wounded man; a man who'd had his own heart ripped from his chest.

When he spoke his voice did not waver, but it dipped low. His face betrayed him, still ridden with anger but disappointment and sadness as well. "When you were born it was the single most greatest moment in Sakumo's life. Your mother smiled as she handed you to him. And when he handed you small body to me... " His voice half wavered as he closed his eyes a moment a tried to contain his emotions. "When he died it hurt me deeply. Your father was one of my best friends. When I surpassed him... he took it with the grace befitting a man far better than myself. When your mother died my only hope was that she finally found peace. When you came to my home... I did the very best by you that I could." He paused again, swallowing. "I can't tell you how many times I nearly pulled my hair out over your pain, your need to separate yourself from everyone else, and the way you hurt me by telling me the only thing you wanted from me was training. I gave it to you... because it was the very least I could do for a man who was every bit the the opposite you made him out to be." He shook his head, fixing his gaze on some spot on the wall. "You fought me tooth and nail. You constantly reminded me how much I would never be the man you looked up to. And I never asked it of you. Despite this... I've loved you like a son. I still do. I _always_ will, Kakashi."

He looked down at him, eyes blazing as his fists shook. "I pride myself on being a level headed man. I rarely take insults, especially from you, to heart. But today..." his eyes narrowed sternly as his lips drew a flat line, "... the pain you've cause me with the use of a mere five words..." Her close his eyes, stopping himself from speaking.

Kakashi slowly said up, broken pieces of the desk falling off and around him with the slight movement. His half closed eye shook, narrowed and glazed over as he stared at the floor. "You broke my trust when it counted the most... and you expect me to... to just roll over and_ take it_?"

"In all of your rage did you even take a moment to consider _why_?"

He stood up quickly and tried to avoid tripping over the fragments of the desk around him. He glared, pointed and raised his voice. "Why doesn't matter! You still did it!"

"Goddammit, Kakashi! Sometimes the bigger picture requires sacrifice! I suffered the same as you, more so because I had to watch you, knowing the whole time! What I did was not only out of love but out of duty!" He yelled back, arms wide with his fingers half curling.

Kakashi's lips remained in a flat line, but inside his rage was boiling over. He didn't care about duty at that moment. He didn't give a damn about what reasoning his former sensei tried to wrap it up with. He was so angry, so pissed off and left feeling betrayed beyond repair. He was broken, lost, and the end of whatever he was looking for was no where in sight.

Not knowing what else to do he walked away, heading for the door.

"What happened in Waterfall, Kakashi?"

He stopped as he opened the door and didn't even bother looking over his shoulder. "Why not find out yourself, you know, since you're so great at manipulating people into getting the result you want?"

"Kakashi--."

"Save it. I've been lectured. The adoptive son has been struck down by his much older, much wiser father figure. So, unless you have a mission for me I'll be going home." Without waiting for a reply he was slamming the door to the damaged room; leaving Minato with far more to worry about than he had nearly a half and hour ago.

ooo

People moved out of his way as though he'd been struck by the plague, like he were diseased or as if he were some unwanted criminal. He was none of these things. And people did not part like the Red Sea around him because of those things. Rage, anger and hate radiated off on him like he was sick with it; like the next person to walk in his predestined path was going to die. He wanted to left alone. He didn't want anyone talking to him. Every sound was annoyance. Every hushed whisper was met with a glare. And right he imagined if anyone dared to disturb his black mood he'd end up killing them.

If he was as crazy as Gaara had once been he might be twisting his lips into a cruel smile. Instead, they remained a flat line. His one revealed eye remained narrowed. His stance was almost twitching, as if he were on the verge of tearing into someone.

He was broken. His life had literally lost all meaning. He couldn't make sense of anything in his head. All he could see was her face, her smile, her tears. He could feel her laughing at him, at his expense, making him even more lost and going beyond the edges of sanity. He dug his hands into his pockets and fisted them when they began to shake. His jaw clenched. He felt like ripping and tearing at his own skin until it bled a river of blood.

It took everything in him to just keep walking, to just keep going, even though he was far from in his right mind. He was on autopilot and nothing anyone said to him would change how he felt. He wanted to drink, he wanted to plug himself full of drugs until he couldn't see strait so he could just forget about it all, so she would no longer haunt him anymore.

When he'd arrived back in the room, to find her gone he'd almost panicked. But seeing the hurried way she'd roamed about the room, leaving everything a mess made him realize she was just fine. That she'd left him. That she'd run off in the night without him. And that had only served to make him more angry. What right did she have to do that? To leave him like some sort of coward; as if she had done nothing wrong and he were the villain in all of this? What _right?_

He ignored the blood trailing down his face from his broken nose that stained his spandex mask. He ignored the coppery substance that stuck to his hands as his fingernails dug cuts through the leather of his gloves and into his palms.

"Yo."

He turned, glaring at the source of the infecting tone that dared to even speak to him. He almost softened his gaze on Obito. Almost. At it was then he realized he wasn't at him home as he wished to be. No, his body had drug him all the way to training grounds; to the one he'd trained team seven at; the one he'd slowly fallen in love with _her_ at.

Obito winced. "Damn... what did you do? Walk into a door?"

His eyes narrowed a fraction. He wasn't in the mood for his humor. "Fuck off."

The ebony haired Uchiha sighed. "Damn... I had a feeling this was going to be a bad morning... not that yesterday was any better... Fucking Sasuke..."

"Is this important?" He snapped.

"Actually, it is," he replied, regarding him with the demeanor to match his sensei's; save it was a tad more cockier. "Mind telling me what in hell happened that made you come back acting like the Holy Prick you use to be?"

"If you have any sense at all, Uchiha... you'll just leave me the fuck alone and, for once in your life, refrain from asking bullshit, stupid questions that don't concern you." He turned, opting to walk away.

"You're my brother, bastard. It's _always_ my business."

"I'm not mad at you, crybaby... but I'm mad enough to forget why; I've lost enough of my own sanity to forget what I owe you. So, as I said... if you're smart... you'll just walk away," he stopped as he said this, his back to him.

Obito stared at his back and watched as a soft breeze carried by between the two of them. His eyes softened and he dug his own hands into his pockets and hopped of the tall wooden post from where he was formerly seated. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his lower back into it.

"I came to talk to you... But I really don't want to fight. Do you?"

Kakashi looked up and eyed a cloud that passed overhead. "That depends on what you want to talk about."

"Sakura," he said smoothly. He ignored the way Kakashi's body tensed up and continued. "Sasuke and Naruto came to speak with me..." His eyes narrowed as he paused a good minute and as another breeze swept by. "I didn't teach you that technique so you could hurt fellow shinobi, Kakashi."

Silence.

"I know you hurt, bastard. I know better than anyone. I was there, remember?" He whispered as that same breeze teased his hair. "But you can't do this to yourself. To her. You've finally found her. After sixteen long years... you found her. Why waste more time hating her? Wouldn't it just be easier... to forgive... and forget? To move on and finally be happy?"

"Are you done?"

"I take it my little speech didn't inspire you?"

"Hn."

Obito sighed as he stepped away from the stump. "You know, I was really hoping you wouldn't say that.... You know I can't let you walk away from here after what you did to that girl. Because, if it had been Rin... we wouldn't be talking. I'd be breaking your legs."

Kakashi half smiled and he let his head hang and closed his eyes. "It's going to be that way, huh?"

"You broke an honor system that's been in place since the beginning of my clan, Kakashi... surely you don't think that wouldn't have repercussions?"

"Sane men think, Obito. I'm far from that right now.... Walk away. Walk away and I'll forget that you even bothered me with this in the first place."

"You know I can't do that.."

"I know..."

And for the second time that day Kakashi found himself in the midst of a fight with someone he cared deeply about, and not but minutes after the last. It was bloody, it was heated and it held none of the finesse either of them normally displayed. No, it was more like Naruto and Sasuke during their early days. Ravenous, brutal, ridden with emotions and little thought to anything resembling the true ideals of a shinobi. But then, didn't all brothers fight like that? Out for blood and to break bones? There was no need to hide or play all those tricks one did while on a mission. In a moment like this it was simply better to brawl it out, cut the tape and get it over with.

In the end, like when most brothers fight... there was no winner.

Obito was left staring at him, bloody as he leaned against the trunk of a rather large oak tree. "You can't keep doing this to yourself, Kakashi; to her. Haven't you both suffered enough?" He watched as the younger male stood, holding back and wince as he got his bearings. When he said nothing he tried once more. "_Damnit_, Kakashi, this isn't the time to be a stubborn asshole. Remember the last time you didn't listen to me? Look where that landed us."

"This isn't the same.."

"Why not?!" He cried out, exasperated.

"Because, I was betrayed, Obito!" He yelled back, glaring as his hand formed shaking fists in front of him. "I fucking said goodbye to _Her_! I was going to tell Sakura I loved her and let the past go! I was going to move on, you ass! And no one, not even you! Can tell me I don't have a right to... to be as ...Fuck...!" He growled, digging his fingers into his scalp.

There was a long moment of silence between the two as Kakashi words, his cries, echoed in the field. Pain radiated off him and reflected in all that was around him. Much more of this and who knew... he sure as hell didn't know. He'd lost all direction that night. All hope. The ide aod her coming back had been the only thing holding him together. Finding out the truth and driven him to a point he nomrally wouldn't even consider, He wasn't himself and he had really thought it over, from the outside looking in, he'd realize just how much of a wreck he was.

"I'm sorry..." Was all Obito could manage as he allowed his gaze to drop downward.

As he turned to walk away Obito looked up with concerned eyes. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know and really... I don't give a damn."


	61. Chapter 61

**..Chapter Sixty-One..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_I wish you'd look at me that way_

_Your beautiful eyes_

_lookin' deep into mine_

_Telling me more than_

_any words could say_

_But you don't even know I'm alive_

_Baby to you all I am_

_Is the invisible man_

_--98 Degrees, Invisible Man_

**..**

**.**

Black orbs scanned the evening crowds in Konoha as he walked by himself. Raven-ebony hair danced on the breeze. He was a soft looking man. All of his best features, his lovely ones, had come from his mother. Those who couldn't quite remember the clan when he was young and still in the Academy seemed to think all Uchiha had those same colors and stark white skin. They were wrong. Many of his clansmen, like his father, had varying shades of hair and eyes. And if Obito was any indication, attitude was also no real way to spot and Uchiha either. If they weren't wearing the fan symbol, outright telling you or glaring with a Sharingan there was almost no way to spot one on the street.

Sasuke wasn't what you'd call unique by any means. Sought after by troves of girls to which he use to scowl at but now merely sighed at and tried to hide from, quite agile and useful in battle and easily top on the list of best in his generation; yes, he was all of these things. And years ago, if you'd asked him for a few moments of his time he would have turned his nose up at you if he thought you were unworthy. Now? He would smile only slightly and listen; even if he didn't want to hear you at all. Years of being without a mother, and what he thought was hated by his brother as well as being alone with his own torment had taught him to appreciate the small thins in life, even is that included mindless chatter. Some of the best moments were captured while just talking about nothing at all.

He waved as a few of rookie nine walked by. They looked a little shocked at his wave and he secretly laughed as he kept going. Perhaps he would do that more, only just enough to make people do a double take on him.

After getting a few memories of his new life and new reality he'd realized he was still just a little bit ego driven. Not nearly as bad as he once was, but sometimes still just as cold. That was something he could change a little. Not dramatically of course. He would never be like Naruto or Obito in regards to his emotions. He didn't want to be. But he could be just a little bit nicer to people.

He dug his hands into his pockets as he passed people by in his slow pace towards Yin's. He'd go somewhere else to get food for tonight, but Sakura had insisted on their food. And he didn't want ramen. So, his vote had gone in favor of his female team mate's choice. And anyway, he felt she deserved anything she wanted after last night.

They'd spent the rest of the evening together with Naruto and Itachi in the living room. And long after his brother had went to bed and Naruto had fallen asleep on the couch they'd stayed up. She wasn't crying anymore, but she was still at a loss for what to do. So lost she didn't even bother asking him where he'd went with the guys. He wasn't sure if she didn't wanted to know or if maybe she was too preoccupied to even think to ask.

He hated seeing her like that. It tore at his heart. He bled for her pain. He wasn't the type to cry for someone else and normally he'd comment it'd be a cold day in hell before he let something like that show... but for her... after all they'd been through... he almost had. The only thing that had stopped him from doing so was realizing he needed to be strong for her. If she saw how much her pain hurt him she might clamp up and try to hide her pain for fear of hurting him more. Sakura cared for people more than she cared about herself. Even all her bad decisions were made out of concern for comrades or friends.

But he didn't just feel pain for her. He felt pain for the whole situation. Kakashi was hurting just as much as her. And he couldn't really say he blamed him. Not because she'd done the wrong thing; there was no right way to do these things. People would argue both sides for hours. No, he didn't not blame him because he understood his pain. It wasn't the same exactly, but he'd been there. He'd been that way in his youth because of his brother. He knew the pain of betrayal. He understood it; that questioning hate that consumes you day after day as you ask yourself, 'why...why did he do it?'. He understood what it felt like for someone to think they knew what was best for you.

It hadn't taken him long to draw his own conclusions about the past in regards to his brother. He'd done what he'd done because he'd had no choice. In the end, it was either loyalty to Konoha or loyalty to the clan leaders. And Itachi had chosen Konoha. He'd been forced to obliterate the clan because of the council. He'd left Sasuke alive because not because he wanted a worthy opponent, not because he saw him as an ultimate means to an end, not because he needed a set of replacement eyes once the Mangekyo began to blind him; no, he'd left him alive out of love. He'd faced him, tormented him and tortured his thoughts with the deadly technique because if he'd done anything else Madara would have found out. In this time, Minato and Itachi had been prepared to face him and chase him off. But in that time... Itachi must of had no choice. And the only to saving Sasuke was in lying to him, betraying him and making him hate him.

Like Kakashi, he didn't agree with his loved one's reasoning. He hated him for it, that other version of his brother in that deleted reality. He'd hated him so badly for it he'd been willing to sacrifice his own happiness, life, to kill him one day.

Obviously, it wasn't the same in the sense that he loved Itachi like a brother and his team leader loved Sakura like a lover. But it was the same in the sense of pain, trial and tribulation. They'd both suffered for years with the image of someone they knew haunting them in a very different time. For Kakashi it was the present and for Sasuke it had been the past. Like Kakashi he'd been forced to look after someone, who, everytime he looked at them sent him into a tearing grip of torment. Like Kakashi he didn't quite understand, or hadn't understood, why they couldn't have just been honest with him to begin with. Like Kakashi... he hadn't been ready to deal with the reality, the truth.

If his brother had told him, as a boy, why he'd killed all those people he wouldn't have believed him. He still would have hated him. As a child he wouldn't have comprehended the delicacy of the situation; how duty came before what one considered right in the world. Being a shinobi meant doing things you hated and making hard choices. They weren't always right or good. And sometimes you had to kill a few good people to keep thousands more safe and alive. He wouldn't have grasped that as a boy. But as a man... he did.

Sakura's choice had no wrong or right answer to it. What she had done had been what she thought was the right choice. And it had been totally selfless. She'd sacrificed her own feelings by not telling him. Not merely because she was really afraid he wouldn't believe her.. not just that. That was minor. She'd done it because of how fragile he was. And in knowing how he'd treated her upon finding out only served to prove just how fragile he had been. Sasuke, after learning what he'd done to her, and in knowing how much first hand Kakashi loved her, he could only imagine the silver haired male had finally made that leap over the edge.

He'd nearly done that himself in the past, in his past, fighting the battle within himself as to whether to kill Itachi before it happened or to stay the coarse of duty. Everytime he'd looked at his older brother as a small boy it had taken everything in him to simply remain impassive and not allow his true, restrained, intentions to become known. How hard had it been for Kakashi while he'd watched her grow into a woman? How hard had it been for him to restrain himself from losing his mind then and taking her innocence from her in a blind fit of grief, in some vain attempt to ease his bleeding soul? How _hard _had it been? If had been anything like Sasuke... then he really did get it.

But there were other feelings there as well. The part of Sasuke that _had_ loved Sakura, that _had_ wanted to the one whom she looked at with longing on her eyes, that _had_ pained while he watched her happily kiss their sensei... that part which was a far off memory in his mind wanted to rip him limb from limb for hurting her; for failing to realize what he had with Sakura only came once a lifetime. It wasn't rational. It wasn't logical. It wasn't even wise. It was a raw feeling he'd been fighting against since last night. Not only because of Sakura's feelings, but because he respected Kakashi as well.

As Minato had been a second father to Kakashi, so had Kakashi been to him. In that other time, that six year span together, he'd learned many things from him; many of them having nothing to do with the art of the shinobi. How to dance when the time called for it, if he ever got the notion to court a woman and marry her. How to deal with his anger and refrain from taking it out on other people. He showed him that by pushing everyone away he was doing nothing but making himself weaker. Friends made you stronger. Yes, he'd taught him that. Even if Kakashi had refrained from telling him about his own past, even if he kept people in the dark about his own grief, he still somehow managed to pass on his own sense of wisdom to the younger Uchiha. Like Sakura and Naruto... were it not for Kakashi... Sasuke would never have become the man he was today. In a very large way, round about way, team seven had repaid the man who hid his pain from everyone back for everything he'd taught them by saving the lives of those he loved.

As these thoughts passed his mind he pressed a flat palm into the oaken door of Yin's. The crowded room was filled with people all talking, laughing and drinking the day away long into the night. It was a sight he could almost smile at as he stepped up to the counter.

"Yeah?" The bartender asked as he cleaned a mug.

"I need a large order filled," he said coolly while looking over the menu. He pointed to one item. "Three of these, the works and five large pork ramens to go."

The man wrote it all down with a nod and rattled off the total. He counted the Ryo Sasuke handed to him with another nod and gave him his change. "It'll be a while. You want something while you wait?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Nah, that's alright."

With another nod he went into the back through the swinging door to give the chef his order.

Sasuke let out a sigh and leaned into the counter of the bar. He silently hoped the wait wouldn't be too long. He was still worried about Sakura. Even though she'd healed herself and kept the fever from coming he still thought she needed to at least make a visit to the hospital. He was also worried about leaving Naruto by himself, in a way. If it weren't for Itachi keeping a good set of eyes on him he wouldn't have left at all. He didn't trust the blond to not sneak off and do something stupid. He silently hoped the pretense of keeping watch over Sakura was enough to make him stay put and far away from Hatake Kakashi.

"So, Sasuke, tell me," a cool, crisp voice began next to him as the speaker took a seat, "did she order you to speak with Obito on her behalf or," he continued rather sarcastically, "did you just jump up like a loyal puppy without her knowing, hm?"

Sasuke didn't even bother looking at him. His eyes remained fixed forward as he leaned on the bar. He could tell from the smell on his breath the man was drunk. The side of him that was just dying to play the white night he'd never been was crying out that he do something.

Kakashi took a sip of his beverage, ice clicking in the clear glass. He leaned forward lazily, his half closed eye staring at the bar counter. "Not in the mood to talk? I guess that's not too surprising. You were always one for short replies if not outright muteness. Then again, perhaps it's just the topic you don't like."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed a fraction, but he remained silent.

"Very well, I'll talk for the both of us," he went on carelessly. "I guess I shouldn't be too pissed off. Female shinobi are trained from infancy to lie, to manipulate and trick men out of things they prize most." He took another sip, as if he were discussing the weather and looked over at him. "You can relate, right?"

Silence.

He smiled almost cruelly, bitterly. "All those girls hounding after you; before you your brother. Even she wanted you at one point... but I guess you knew better than me. You had enough sense to knock her down before she even got far enough to break your heart." He looked down at his glass, shaking it as if he needed more. "She really is a piece of work, huh?"

Sasuke closed his hands into fists tightly enough to burn his knuckles white.

Kakashi sighed. "I use to half wonder why you pushed her aside. Good thing, though... that would have been confusing when you guys did come back... " He stood up, leaning a bit too close to Sasuke, close enough that the younger male wanted to back away from the not only the strong smell of his breath, but because the invasion of his personal space made him all the more want to snap back and hit him.

"Although... like you... if I had found out early on just how conniving she could be... well," he smirked as if wanting to push his buttons into overdrive. "..I guess we could have just shared huh? It's not like she--." He wasn't finishing his sentence. His words were broken off as the young man before him grabbed onto the straps of his ANBU armor and picked him up, slamming him on the flat of the bar.

Sasuke bore down on him, eyes blazing with the Sharingan. The tombs of ebony swirled, danced erratically as his body shook with barely checked rage. The cry that released itself from his mouth was enough to silence the bar. The sounds of breaking glass on the floor was enough to have eyes from all corners of the room looking in his direction. Men and women got up from their stools, trying to move away from the outburst.

"If you were any other man, know that, I would kill you where you lay."

In response, Kakashi stared to laugh, chuckling like a madd man. His lips twisted into a smile beneath the bloodied navy of his mask that had dried and stained long after the fight with his sensei. "Kill me? Why not. Sure. I've lost all purpose...."

Sasuke just stared at him, his grip tightening as he glared down. The animal inside of him cried out for revenge, justice and blood. The beast within him wanted to hurt Kakashi as much as he'd hurt Sakura. The part of him that once loved her screamed that if he didn't kill him he should at least damage him enough to think twice before doing what he did to her in that bathroom in Waterfall city.

"You don't deserve her," he whispered instead. "You don't deserve one _shred_ of that beautiful, kind, _perfect_ girl, if you're going to do this to her; to yourself. Kill you?" He asked with venom laced in his voice. "Even if I wanted to, and believe me I'm tempted... " he went on, pushing him harder into the bar, "you're not worth it. You're drunk, unhinged emotionally and resemble _nothing,_" he practically spat, "of the man I respect. I don't know who you are. I've never even seen you before. Because the Hatake Kakashi I know wouldn't talk about the woman he loves as though she were a second class tramp or a whore to swap around."

Kakashi met his gaze, lips drawing into a flat line.

"I think you want want someone to hurt you, beat you so hard and so long that you don't wake up from it. I guess whoever got to you before me realized you weren't worth it either, old man." He sneered as he released him, stepping back while continuing to glare at him. "If you want someone to end your misery maybe what you need to do is take a long look in the mirror, sensei. Only you can do that." With these final words Sasuke grabbed the bags of food from a very confused bar tender and handed him a small wad of bills. "For the broken glass."

"She loves you, Kakashi," he said, looking at him once more. "But, if you keep this up... and if you don't find a way to forgive her, to pick up the pieces... make no mistake, I will. And unlike you, I'll appreciate everything given; even if it's not perfect." With that final statement, he left.

ooo

He half tripped over his feet and reached out. His gloved palms hit against the wood grain of his door with enough force to hurt. He winced, cursed, slurred and tried with the grace god gave a newborn doe to find the knob. He could hardly see. Everything shook and shifted. The world was one blur, like the lens of a camera half out of focus, only clear for a second before utterly going hazy again. His legs shook as he tried to get his bearings. Standing was difficult. He'd drunk enough to knock out a bull. Going up his small set of stairs had been like trying to pull blood from a turnip, frustrating and _stupid_.

Growling and too far gone to care, he drew back a fist and broke the glass in the center of his door; that small rectangular window. If he weren't so wasted he would have realized the door wasn't locked. He reached in, ignoring the pain as the shards cut into his skin, and turned the handle. He pulled his arm back out and fell onto the wood floor of his home. He'd forgotten about stepping up, apparently. He groaned loudly, "Ow...."

After laying there for a good five minutes he pulled himself up, almost falling over and hitting a small table near the door. He did, however, knock the lamp down. It shattered on the floor. Ignoring it with a grunt he slammed the door to his house shut and stumbled his way towards the stairs. He stopped and teetered slightly as he gazed up at them. After another good five minutes of swaying, staring and glaring at the offending climb upward to which he would find his soft bed he finally grunted and turned around towards the direction of his living room; giving up.

He stumbled, nearly falling again, as he made his way towards the couch. It was there he finally fell on something soft at least.

He reached up and jerkily pulled down the blue of his mask, no longer being able to tolerate the smell of his own crusty blood. It caked on his face and stuck to stubble coming in. He hadn't shaved for two days and it was showing. He hadn't bathed yet and all the sweat and blood from fighting two senseless battles made him reek. Rock bottom was an understatement.

But after fighting with Minato, beating fists with Obito and picking another fight with Sasuke he just didn't care. He hadn't meant what he said to the young Uchiha. He'd only said it because he wanted to make him as angry as he felt. He wanted him pissed off. He wanted more pain, more agony to blind him of his own emotional pain. He was acting like he had just before Minato stripped him off ANBU; mentally broken beyond repair, seeking a death wish and dying for the grace of her touch. Even now, he still loved her. And was during these moments he cried.

His eyes shut as he choked on the pain in his throat. He'd thrown up twice on the way home. He'd fallen enough to muck himself in dirt so badly people thought he was a hobo. He hadn't cared. He still didn't care. He just hurt. He ached with the pain. He chest ached and all he wanted right then in his moment of weakness was her to hold him. He wanted _her_ touch, _her_ softness, _her_ love. He wanted to _forget_ most of all. He fought and fought and now he was at the point of almost no return.

He wept until his tears and snot coated the couch like a pathetic mess. He wept for himself. He wept for what she'd done to him; for what he had done to himself; for what he'd done to her. He was just an angry as ever, but still praying for some sort of reason, some sort of help or end to all of it.

"Kami... kill me now and end it..." he whispered before falling asleep from pure exhaustion.

ooo

The next moment his eyes opened all he could see was black. There was nothing but an endless sea of stars and ebony swathed in half cobalt. His eyes narrowed and realized he wasn't wearing his headband. His mask was clean, he smelled no blood and he wasn't coated in dirt. He wasn't drunk either. He was sober and very much aware of his surroundings.

He sat up, silver strands falling into his eyes without the band over his right eye to keep then jutting upward. His armor was gone. His metal plates on his forearms and shins were gone. His sword was gone and so was his ANBU mask. Instead he was left in nothing but his blue spandex shirt, half mask attached over his face covering his mouth and nose, blue gloves, shinobi pants and blue sandals. He looked around, blinking in his confusion. How had he gotten here? Last he could remember he'd fallen asleep on the couch in a mess of his own tears, mucus and drool.

He reached up, grumbling and rubbed the bridge of his nose before he stood up. When he pulled his hand away he looked more, searching for something. This place seemed so familiar and he couldn't place why. "Am I dead?" He wondered aloud.

"Dead? Hardly. But all considered, I'm a little surprised you aren't, Kakashi"

Kakashi whirled around and looked for the source of the voice. He was so sure he'd heard them from behind. But where...

"Ahem... down here, child. I'm down here."

Kakashi looked down, blinking. He stared for a while at the short, wirey man with pointed ears, long white hair and alabaster robing stitched through with silver. He stared, rubbed his eyes as if he were hallucinating and then stared again. He blinked for a good five or so minutes. Then, as if a light bulb went off he went on the attack, pointing as he shouted. "_You_!"

Eon arched a brow. "Yes?"

"This is _your_ fault," he explained with a hiss. "Don't act like you don't know!"

"My... aren't you angry for one so young. Aren't you afraid all that pent up rage is going to stress you out? It's bad on the heart, you know," he said kindly, his hands drawn behind his back.

"Don't patronize me! I wouldn't even be like this if you hadn't... if you..!"

"If I hadn't what...Kakashi?" He asked softly, looking up at him as if he already knew. "If I hadn't sent the Trinity back to save your friend and right the coarse of time? If I hadn't commanded them to do so, so he court Rin, keep her from joining ANBU and therefore be around to save Kushina from dying during childbirth so Naruto would have a mother; so Minato would have one more reason to live on; so Itachi would never kill the Uchiha clan, hurt Sasuke and in the end die at his hands? Is that what you were trying to say... ?"

Kakashi grit his teeth and glared. He had a point, even if he didn't like it. But he was still too angry to agree. "You didn't have to let her fall in love with me. Or vise versa... why didn't you do anything about that, you old coot?! Then at least you could have saved me the pain of waiting sixteen years for her..."

Eon chuckled at his comments like he were an errant child spouting nonsense. "Let her? Stop either of you? Why, my boy, I can no more control the way you two are meant to feel about each other anymore than you can control the wind."

Kakashi shook his head. "Like hell... I would think something like that would... break proverbial laws involving quantum mechanics... Change time to something that wasn't meant to be... doesn't it?" He looked over, questioning.

"You tell me."

Kakashi growled. "Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall. Has anyone ever told you that?"

Eon rolled his eyes. "That's because you want me to give you something I simply do not have, Kakashi. Only you can answer that question. Are you meant to be with Sakura... were you defying the laws of my realm by loving a woman who would be born for two years after her arrival in your past? Tell me," he continued with a furrowed brow and telling eyes, "are you trying to convince me, or yourself... I'm wrong?"

"I don't know!"

Eon tsked. "You're as bad as her, you know. Always looking for something right in front of your own face. Think, boy, do you honestly believe I would have allowed something to happen between you two if it wasn't already going to happen?"

Kakashi paused as his eyes narrowed on the little man. His lips pursed and his hands set upon his hips as he half glared downward. He did stop and think, but not about his memories... about hers. About one in particular... in a bar... where a very different him had asked if she were old enough to drink, or when she'd stopped calling him sensei.

He swallowed. "We were... she was going to...."

"Yes?"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "This is insane. You're trying to tell me she would have fallen for me regardless? That going back made no difference?"

"Bingo!" Eon shouted jubilantly. "Why do you think I never interfered? Going back in time, taking on what I asked of them was something that had to be done because of what Madara did, Kakashi. They had to stop him. Even in this correct version of time, Sakura still fell in love you. She would have eventually sought you out. Joining ANBU was something she did out of admiration for you, respect. Not simply because she wanted to help you; but because you made her believe in herself," he whispered, emphasizing.

Kakashi shook his head as he realized trying to turn this around on the old man was not going to do him any good. In fact, the only thing it was doing was proving to Kakashi that he was the one in the wrong here. If trying to make him realize that allowing them to be together was breaking some sort of time 'law' in the first place wasn't going to work, than he'd go another route.

"Ok, fine, you've made your point. That doesn't make what you did right. I went through sixteen years of... lost sleep over her. Why didn't someone just tell me?" His voice raised in level as he leaned over slightly.

"That's easy enough..." he muttered. "Knowing a twelve year old girl is the woman you loved, slept with, or at least will be eventually, is not a very good idea. At least without knowing you were less likely to not only do something stupid... No, Kakashi," he said with a sigh, "you were very much meant to teach team seven, you always have been. Without you there is no foundation for them to be the people I needed. So even if you found out, and pulled yourself away from the situation, there would have terrible repercussions. And they would have most definitely broken the laws of time."

Kakashi groaned, feeling beaten. "_Fine_," he bit out, snapping. "Then that leaves me with one final question... why didn't she just tell me herself when she came back. Why the lies... the games?"

"Why do you think she did it?"

"Would I be asking you if I knew?"

Eon smiled.

Kakashi glared.

"Very well, Hatake... I'll do you one better... I'll _show_ you."


	62. Chapter 62

**..Chapter Sixty-Two..**

**..**

**.**

**.**.

_You walk in and my strength walks out the door_

_Say my name and I can't fight it anymore_

_Oh I know, I should go_

_But I need your touch just too damn much_

_--LeAnne Rimes, Right Kinda Wrong_

**..**

**.**

As Kakashi stood next to the old Guardian and as his face turned into a mask of confusion the whole world around him changed and melted away. He found himself in the middle of a dirt road with the old man. People were walking by on either side of him and going about their business. He thought it was odd that everything was some temporal color of sepia. He turned around as someone started to walk into him. "Wait--." He held out his hands and tried to warn them. However, just as he was speaking this warning they were passing right through him, like a ghost.

Eon laughed at his expense. "Oh, don't bother. No one can see us or hear us."

"Where are we?" He asked as he gazed about.

"I thought that was obvious," he murmured next to him, "Konoha."

"I know that," he muttered in a frustrated manner. He made exasperated motions with his hands. "But, what is all this? Why is everything in some odd toned color?"

"Ah, well, you should have been more specific with your question then," he replied with a grin.

"Eon..."

"It's not a question of _where_ are we so much as it is _when_."

"Fine, _when_ are we?" He snapped.

"See, I knew you would eventually ask the right question." He chuckled. His whole face crinkled slightly, showing wrinkles and dimples all over. "We're are exactly fourteen years ago in the past."

"Near the time Sakura left."

Eon shook his head. "Oh no, these are not your memories, but her's, my boy. This isn't your version of time, but the one that no longer exists."

"You mean the one they corrected."

He nodded. "Yes."

"Why do I need to see whatever it is that's going to happen? How does this tell me why she did what she did? I wants answers, old man; not meaningless recaps of things that never happened."

Eon snorted. "They did happen. Just not to _you_."

"So?"

"Just watch." He pointed across the dirt street and Kakashi followed the direction of his eyes to the same place.

He sighed and watched. But all he saw were people and a shop. Two women were talking outside of it. His eyes narrowed only slightly as he realized it was a flower shop. "That's Ino's place..."

"It is."

A little girl left the shop with her her mother and held a single daisy. Her hand was firmly grasped in her mother's hand as she waited to cross the street. But her mother stopped and spoke with the two women, releasing her daughter's hand. The little one had short pink strands covering her face and eyes. But if you looked close enough you could see big green eyes blinking beyond the bangs.

"Sakura..." he whispered is realization.

Eon said nothing, but he _was_ carefully watching Kakashi.

The little girl stood patiently as she waited for her mother to finish gossiping with her friends. She sighed and kicked a pebble on the ground. It was then she realized her shoe was untied. Pouting in a cute manner she reached down, putting her flower on the sidewalk and began to tie it. As soon as she finished though a powerful gust of wind came through and blew her flower into the street. Like any child would do without thinking she reacted instantly and ran out into the street. She didn't see the horse drawn cart barreling down the path in a hurry. Kakashi panicked and moved to step forward and help her. "Move!" He cried out. What seemed like hours passed as he watched her grab her flower and smile, as he watched her turn, wide eyed to the stare at the cart coming right for her, as her mother screamed for her to move. But as he took a step forward something very unexpected happened.

A blur came out of nowhere, garbed in ANBU digs to the T. Silver from his guards reflected in the light. Arms reached out at the last moment and grabbed onto the little girl tightly. Small arms wrapped about the man's neck as all of this happened. And when he finally set her down right next to Kakashi, he realized who had saved her.

Sakura cried and sniffled, trying to wipe her eyes.

"There now, cherry blossom, don't cry, hm?" The silver haired man said to her rather softly as he placed a hand on her head. "I hate seeing a pretty girl in tears."

She just kept crying and holding her hands over her eyes; scared and confused beyond reason because of her brush with death.

The armored ANBU reached up and took her wrists, tugging her hands away. As she gave way to his attention he reached up and wiped away her tears himself. He took a handkerchief from his back pocket and began to clear away her puffy face. "There, now," he said as he moved hair from her face, "is that a face I see under there? My, you do have eyes after all. And here I thought all those tears were coming from some hole in the top of you head."

The little girl hid a giggle behind her hands.

"Was that a smile?" He teased.

She nodded, trying to hide her grin.

"Do you have a name?"

"Sakura," she whispered.

"So you can speak as well. Amazing!"

She laughed. "You're funny."

"Yes, but looks aren't everything," he said back quickly.

She kept on laughing. "How would I know? I can't even see your face, ANBU-sama."

"That's how ugly it is," he said with a dramatic sigh as he linked his hands together between his kneeling legs, one forearm resting on his thigh.

"Fibber," she chuckled back. "Everyone knows ANBU wear masks to hide their identities when they're on missions."

"A smart girl too."

"What's your name, ANBU-sama?"

"I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you."

"Fibber," she accused with another grin. "Everyone also knows ANBU can show their faces in the village."

"You got me there, very well," he allowed as he reached up and took off his porcelain mask. "Hatake Kakashi, at your service, blossom." He half bowed in his kneeling position.

She gasped. "Oh, poo, you're still wearing a mask!"

He chuckled at her exasperation and frowning features.

"Sakura...! Sakura, on thank god. You're alright," her mother cried out as she came up on her side and picked her up. She gave her a once over before she was sure the girl was ok. As she did so Kakashi stood as well. She looked over at him. "Thank you, Hatake-san. I owe you a debt, it seems..."

He shook his head. "No need. Just doing my job." He gave an idle wave. "Now that your mother has you, little one, I have to go. Be more careful next time." With this he was turning and heading down the street.

"Goodbye, Hatake-san," she whispered as she and her mother watched him disappear into the crowds. "Mama?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know that man?"

Her mother smiled. "Barely, dear. He graduated much earlier than me. He was five, if I recall correctly."

"Five?! Really?" Her eyes were wide.

Her mother nodded. "Yes, five. He was top of his class at the time. He also fought in the Third War. After that he joined ANBU. Just before the Fourth became the Hokage... If my memory serves me correctly..." Her mother looked upward slightly and tapped her chin.

Sakura blinked and stared where the copy nin had disappeared into the crowds. Her eyes remained fixed on that spot as if she were trying to sort some deeper meaning out in her head. "He's very brave for saving me. He could have been hurt as well."

Her mother laughed at this.

Sakura blinked over at her. "What?"

"I suppose it was very brave of him, Sakura. But I doubt very seriously he would have been hurt. Kakashi-san is quite resilient. Many of his missions on ANBU probably have him doing more than dodging out of control carts and saving little girls."

Sasuke blinked once more as her eyes set back on the crowds. "I wish I could be like that," she murmured quietly, low enough that her mother had to question what she said. But Sakura shook her head. "Mama?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

She smiled brightly. "I think I want to become a shinobi."

"Oh? Why?" Her mother asked with a smile as she looked down at her.

But Sakura's eyes stayed on the crowds as she smiled. "So one day, I can become as great as Hatake-san and pay him back for saving my life."

As these innocent words passed her lips the whole world around Kakashi paused. They were the words of a child, a small girl who had no real idea what she was saying in all her admiration. But to him, secretly, it meant so much more.

He just kept staring at the little girl in her mother's arms, smiling, laughing. He didn't say anything as he watched her and let the scene fall over him like a wave. It wasn't for a long while until he actually said anything.

"I thought she became a shinobi because of Sasuke... "

"It's alright, Kakashi. You were angry when you went searching through her memories the first time. You had more important things to find out. What inspires a little girl hardly mattered. And anyway, she was very young." He shrugged. "I doubt very seriously she remembers it." While his words sounded honest and sincere, as though he was on Kakashi's side, the silver haired man knew better.

"Does any of this have a point?"

"Let's move on, shall we?" He replied instead and made a wave of his hands. Everything around them faded to thousands colors; a billion dancing rays of light all coming together as one.

Kakashi heard the voices before the scene even came into view.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's cries rang out from where she stood just to the left of Naruto who was tied up to a center post in the very familiar training area. Kakashi himself looked to see what she was yelling about. There, on the ground was Sasuke. He was pinned by himself. One foot was on his head holding him down while he sat on the boy's back. The other foot was on the ground.

The memory version of Kakashi said, "See. You're all just kids."

He watched as a very angry Sakura cried out, "Don't step on Sasuke-kun!"

Memory Kakashi just looked up at her and Naruto rather lazily and replied, "Do you guys think being a shinobi is easy? Why do you think we're training by breaking up into groups?"

Naruto's face was scrunched up in thought as Sakura said rather curiously. "What do you mean?"

"In other words," he replied, "you three don't understand the answer to the importance of this test."

"The answer?" Naruto asked as his face remained in the expression of a contemplating fox.

"That's right. The answer to determine whether you pass or fail."

Sakura looked rather humble as she asked, "We've been asking what that is..."

Memory Kakashi looked ready to snort. "Geeze, are your brains empty? You don't understand why you're all in a group?"

"So, what about three being a group?" Naruto cried out loudly.

"Teamwork," he said lowly.

All three looked a little shocked by it was Sakura who said, "You mean cooperate with each other?"

"That's right," Kakashi replied with a narrowed eye, "but it's too late even if you notice now. If all three of you had come at me at once maybe you would have gotten a bell. But," he continued as he sat up slightly, "it's too late now."

Sakura looked confused as ever while she asked with a rather raised tone, "Why do we need to use teamwork when there is only two bells? If all three people work hard to get it, one person will have to bite the bullet. A group conflict will occur instead of teamwork."

"Of course," he replied sternly, as if she were spouting the obvious, "the test _tries_ to put you three up against each other."

"What?" Naruto blurted with wide eyes.

"In this situation we select those who can prioritize teamwork over themselves. That was the purpose, but all three of you were... pathetic," he muttered. He looked up at Sakura. "Sakura!"

She gasped at his tone.

"You cared more about Sasuke than Naruto, even though Naruto was right in front of you and you didn't know where Sasuke was. Naruto!" He looked at the boy and went on, "All you did was work on your own." He pushed hard on Sasuke's head with his foot as he addressed him. "And you assumed these two were only going to burden you and did everything yourself." He looked up at the two still in front of him. "Missions are done in groups. It's true that ninjas need well developed abilities, but teamwork is much more important, as individual action disrupts teamwork will result in danger or even death for the teammates. For example," he said as he reached for a kunai from his pouch, "Sakura! Kill Naruto or Sasuke is going to die!" He held the kunai close to the boy's neck.

Naruto's eye's went wide with half fear as he looked between Kakashi and Sakura, as if he thought she really might do it. Sakura on the other hand, looked as though she had no real idea what to do. Her hands were clutched to her chest, her eyes to her wide and her mouth was half open.

Kakashi took a moment and then said, "That's what will happen." He pulled the kunai away rather slowly.

Sakura looked relieved. "Oh... you surprised me."

Naruto exhaled and relaxed.

Kakashi began flipping the kunai around on his finger in a circular motion as he spoke. "After getting someone taken as hostage, you will be faced with a difficult decision, and someone will die." He stood up and turned away from them. "In every mission, you put your life on the line." He began walking away and towards the monument not but a few feet away from the group. "Look at this, numerous names carved into the stone. All these names are praised as heroes of this village."

Naruto grinned and said. "I like that! I like that! I've decided I'm going to have my name carved into that! A hero, a hero!" He shouted without thinking. "I'm not going to die a useless death!"

"But," he said with an air of softness as he looked over at the group slightly, just past his shoulder, "they're not normal heroes."

"So, what kind of heroes are they?" The blond shouted happily.

Kakashi didn't reply right away. He stared down at the monument as though he were thinking of something deeply.

"Come on, tell me!"

"Those who were K.I.A.," he said softly, once more as if recalling a memory.

"K.I.A.?" Naruto asked, confused but still smiling.

It was Sakura, with a saddened face who looked over at him and said, "Those who were killed in action."

Naruto said nothing as his face went from joy to utter sadness. He let his head hang slightly and said nothing more. Sasuke, who was next to him remained silent as well. Sakura... just stood and watched as Kakashi spoke, looking on at the monument.

"This is a cenotaph. The names of my friends are carved in here as well."

Kakashi, standing next to Eon as he watched this, found his face not drawn to the Sakura's memory of him, but to Sakura. Her face looked saddened and unsure. As if in some small way she could feel his pain.

"What is she thinking?" He asked as the silent moment drug on, not really realizing he'd said this out loud.

"Would you like to find out?" Eon asked as he paused the scene. When Kakashi did not reply he asked, "Do you know I showed you this memory?"

"To torture me?"

Eon smiled and looked up at him. "You would think so. But no.." He looked back at the young version of Sakura. "Her memories of you are very different. As a young girl she looked up to you as she would any adult. Going back, having feelings for you, was not easy because of this."

"And yet this tells me nothing about why she kept things from me, old man." He gestured to the paused memory.

Eon shook his head. "Each thread in a tapestry on it's own does not tell a story. But when you look at the whole piece, every thread together as one, then it becomes clear."

Kakashi sighed. "This has to be come kind of payback for all the riddle ridden words of advice I've given out over the years."

Eon was just chuckling at his frustration as he once again changed the scene.

"Where are we now?" He asked as the colors shifted, melded. Before him everything was as paused as before. Three shinobi stood about in a dark area of thick forest who were dressed in Sound uniforms. The female had her hand tightly wound in a young girl's hair. That girl looked to be ready to cry as the female pulled on her strands painfully. Her face was covered in smudges of dirt. Her clothes were torn and muddy. She looked half beaten and broken. Under a root behind her were both Sasuke and Naruto, both unconscious. And Rock Lee looked severely hurt several feet from her on the ground.

"This is the part of Chuunin Exams where you were not present, Kakashi."

"The Forest of Death."

He nodded as he looked at the paused scene before him.

"And what are you going to show me here that's so important?" He looked away from the scene and down at him.

Eon smiled once more and kept his hands behind his back. "What do you see, Kakashi? Honestly?"

The tall shinobi sigh as he dug his hand into his pockets. He looked over and observed the scene as though a god would scrutinize his followers. His good eye was lazy, taking everything in, his posture slouched and his mouth half frowning in boredom. "I see a girl who's outmatched, outclassed and not thinking straight. Crying is going to get her nowhere."

"Hm..." Eon nodded. "Not a half bad assumption. Anyone would see that at first glance not knowing what's going to come next."

Kakashi said nothing as his eye remained fixed on the group.

"This is one of my favorite memories mixing out in her head, you know. Because like so many of them she doesn't really remember how it happened." He smiled softly. "By now her entire team's beaten by Orochimaru, Rock Lee was badly injured trying to help her, and all that's standing between her and the major muscle on team seven is her; even that's questionable. She's at the end of her rope. She's tired, having had little sleep while trying to keep watch over her boys and make sure they're safe. In the shinobi world she's gone, what one might call, above and beyond the call of duty.

"Amazingly enough, however, she's going to do something few can manage to ever do in her place."

"What?" He couldn't help but ask as he stared on.

"Moments from now, Sakura is going to realize something. She's going to go from merely having the potential to do great things, to doing great things. Watch," he whispered as the scene began to move.

"You're hair is glossier than mine," the female Sound ninja said as she tugged on her hair. "If you have time to care for your hair, train more! Trying to be sexy? Zaku! Kill that Sasuke guy in front of this pig!"

"That sounds good," one of them replied.

"Hey, now..." the other said.

"I won't let you," Sakura gritted out as she tried to move.

"Don't move!" The female sound shinobi said as she tugged her hair back.

"Sakura...san.." Lee whispered as he looked over at her from his position n the ground.

Sakura continued to grit her teeth and clenched her eyes closed as her hand on the ground dug into the dirt. "I can't move..." she whispered. And then everything appeared to go silent as she wept silently. These were not the tears of a crybaby, these were the tears of a woman who had no idea what to do, of a woman who was going to loose her friends, of a woman who was at the end of her rope.

"Then, let's do this," one of the male Sound nin spoke up.

And what happened next made Kakashi take pause. His eyes widened as Sakura pulled a kunai from her leg holster and reached up, cutting her long, beautiful hair. The pieces of pink fluttered the ground like a rain; as a sign of the loss of girlhood even and the girl before him changed into something of a woman. Her headband flew off her head and clattered the ground like some sort of symbol.

He watched as she stood up and fought the Sound nin all on her own, biting, hitting cutting, setting up traps left and right. She fought until she bled, until they bled. She found until he thought she had nothing left in her and showed him how much she really did have.

It was sometime during this that Eon paused the scene once more. "Tell me, Kakashi... would you like to know what she was thinking about... just before she cut her hair? That moment between crying and trying to figure out what to do?"

Once again, he said nothing; shaking open eye staring at her paused resilience.

Eon turned the clock back and rewound the entire scene. He paused it at the just the moment he spoke of. It was there he zeroed in on her and everything became a shadow around that small, shaking form of a girl. But far off in front of her there was a scene bathed in a white light.

It was this scene Kakashi's eyes drew to. Sasuke and Naruto were walking far ahead of himself and Sakura. She was walking next to him and looking down at the ground. Her eyes were soft and she was deep in thought. He was reading Icha, Icha.

Sakura drew her hands behind her back and kicked a pebble with her foot.

The way she kept going on must have grabbed his attention because he said to her, while reading, "Did something happen back in Wave?"

She didn't look up. "Why, sensei?"

"Because, since we've crossed the bridge on the way home you've been silent. And you haven't bothered Sasuke for at least an hour."

She smiled at this a little. "Maybe I'm just not in the mood."

"Never stopped you before," he replied.

She shrugged.

He stopped walking and snapped his book shut. As she stopped as well he looked down at her. "Sakura."

"What?" She looked on as Sasuke and Naruto kept on moving without them.

He stared at her with a raised brow, expecting her to explain.

"I don't want to talk about it, sensei.." She refused to look at him.

He sighed. "I'll guess then. Did Naruto say something?" No reaction. "Did Sasuke say something?" Still no reaction. He paused. "Did I say something...?"

"No, of course not."

"Then, that leaves me with one final guess... does this have to do with our battle against Haku and Zabuza?" At her flinch he continued. "It does..."

"I told you I--."

"I know what you told me."

"Then why can't you leave well enough alone?" She looked up at him, pained expression on her face as her tone strained slightly.

"Because," he said sternly, but softly, kneeling down as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I am your sensei. It bothers me that something has you so preoccupied that you're not acting like yourself. Especially if that something is because of a battle."

She sighed as she met his gaze and shifted under his. "Fine," she whispered, hugging herself. "I... when we were fighting everyone was doing something. They were all so sure of themselves. And yet, all I could do was stand there, feeling helpless and out of place. And it's not the first time this has happened. I always feel like a third wheel. I hate having to be the one always lagging behind. I mean," she went on, her voice straining, "I always master techniques faster, better, quicker. I understand things easier than those two. I memorized every shinobi expression and know them all by heart. And yet, when it comes down to the fighting, the real test, I fail... utterly. What am I doing wrong, sensei?"

"Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to tell you something, and I'm only going to say it once. So, remember it. Because after this moment I never want to hear you say you're a failure... alright?"

Her green eyes narrowed slightly.

"Alright?"

"Yes, sensei..."

He smiled up at her. "You do not fight like Sasuke and Naruto. You don't think like they do. You will never be like them. Ever."

"How is that--!"

"That is your first problem, Sakura."

"Huh?" She blinked, stupefied.

"You have things that only you are good at. You have qualities that are very different from theirs. You don't fight like them because you are not them. Each and every shinobi had his or her own way of doing and not doing; of reacting and not reacting. Once you realize this things will become easier for you.

"The second?" He sighed and went on. "You think all the answers are found in books. You're not the first shinobi to think this and you won't be the last. And knowledge is a great power to wield, one you should use regularly; but, don't place all your faith in it. Real battle is very different from the words found in a scroll. And no amount of reading and mimicking can replace what you learn while facing a real enemy."

He shrugged. "So you aren't as gung-ho as Naruto. So you aren't as blood-lust driven as Sasuke. Each of them are here because they have a goal. Every shinobi does. Even you."

"How will what help me?" She whispered.

"Why are you here, Sakura?"

She looked down, shrugging. "I don't know... I guess because I wanted it. My parents are shinobi. My friends are... then there's Sasuke. I feel like I have something to prove to him..." she frowned. "But he hardly notices me. So, what's the point?"

"Sakura."

She looked up, blinking back tears.

"_Why are you here?_"

"I... I don't know..."

"When you answer that question, then, you can call yourself a real shinobi. When you answer that question you will finally have a reason to face impossible odds. When you answer that question, Sakura, you will no longer feel like you _can't do anything..._" As these words echoed around them the scene faded and the young girl reached for her kunai, stopped her tears and sliced her hair. He could hear her mind echoing these words:

_I'm always acting like a grown up ninja. I've always been saying that I love Sasuke-kun. I've always lectured Naruto like I was better than him. But all I've been doing is watching their backs. Still... They always fought to protect me. Lee-san... You said that you liked me. And you fought with your life while protecting me. I think you taught me something. I want to become like you three. Everyone... this time... Please watch my back._

As her hands moved to make signs and as one of the ninja's shouted to kill her she said in her mind, _Sensei, I think I can finally answer your question. My goal... my drive... is to protect my important people. I hope I can live long enough to tell you that one day._

At this, the scene paused, leaving Kakashi staring once more. But this time, there was something in the way that he looked at her. As if he were seeing her for the first time all over again; just like he did as a boy looking on to a girl who was so much more than she first appeared.

"You see, Kakashi... were it not for you... were it not for your words... Sakura never would have made it to this point; she never would have become the woman you loved so much; the one you looked up to in the past, the one you sought too be just like."

"I get it. You made your point," he said shakily. "It was hard for her to see me as someone other than her mentor. But..."

"But what does this have to do with her keeping things for you? Yes, you've said so before. And at the end of all this, I won't have to answer you. You'll know, Kakashi." Eon waved his hand again, showing him more. Each scene, each imagine next was of things about her already knew; places he'd already been in the past with her as he grew up. And each one showed her perspective, her thoughts. How she wrestled with the idea of loving him, how she dealt with the idea of loving him, how confused and happy she'd been when he'd kissed her for the first time. Each memory he already knew and yet it was so very different from a third party perspective. Because this way he got to see not only her reactions, but his own; how he must have looked to _her_.

And then he shifted further, no longer showing memories of her, memories she had of him. No, Eon showed him memories of the man he slowly became in the new version of time. One of him drinking, fighting losing battles, losing comrades. He'd always seen all of this from his eyes, not from the eyes of his friends. And he had to admit, comparing it to what Sakura saw as a girl? To what she'd known of him as a boy and as her teacher? It was not the same...

The final memories he brought him through were of her crying in his arms in the gazebo as she told him she loved him. They were of her hours later in her apartment, crying because she couldn't tell him. And then they switched to after he left her Waterfall, beating her fists bloody into the floor. When it was all over and the scenes were done... he reached up and touched his face. He realized he was crying.

Crying.

Not for himself. Not because she'd hurt him. He was crying for her. He now understood why Eon showed him those memories she held of him in her past and in his.

"Do you understand, Kakashi?"

He didn't look at him as his eyes shook with emotion. He stuffed his hands into his pockets in order to avoid watching them shake over what he'd failed to realize before.

"You see," he went on softly, "there are three different images here for her. First, is of the man she grew up knowing; her sensei. He was strong, capable and cared deeply for those around him. And yet despite this, somehow, he managed to keep everyone at arm's length. Whether this was because he didn't want to form attachments so he would miss others when they died.. or because he didn't want to be missed when he left... she never knew. Then," he continued, "there was the boy. He was headstrong, driven and a little rough around the edges. A little like Sasuke and yet... not. This boy respected her and saw her as an equal. He recognized her as someone who had qualities he couldn't match and in a way she'd was nt use to being seen as. However, despite the fact that she had to overcome losing him, she still took a leap and loved him; painfully knowing the entire time what she would end up doing to him in the end. Finally, there is you, Kakashi. When she same back to you--."

"Were was a mess," he finished, half smiling bitterly as he closed his eye and sighed. "Emotionally scarred beyond repair, seeking a death wish and absolutely nothing like the other two images she once knew. Hell," he whispered, "I'm an idiot."

Eon said nothing.

He looked down at the little man. "What, no snide remark?"

"None needed."

He nodded and looked upward.

"What will you do now, Kakashi?"

"I'm still not happy with her. I mean, I don't blame her anymore. I'm not angry... but even all this doesn't make everything right."

"There never was a right answer, Kakashi. Even you said this."

"Did I?"

He nodded. "In Sakura's version of time you told her team sometimes in hostage situations people will die. You have to make difficult choices. At times that means deciding who lives and who dies. No man or woman is ever exempt from this possibility."

"No," he muttered, "they're not."

"In Sakura's case it wasn't about living or dying, it was about whether or not your sanity was more important. She could have told you the truth. You may have or may not have believed her. But you more than likely wouldn't have. And if you didn't, seeing her as she was, looking like the woman you loved, may very well have pushed you over the edge. On the other hand, waiting, as you've taught her yourself, might have been the better choice; or as the case is, may have pushed you to a breaking point. Remember, quick action, as you've told Naruto, can sometimes lead to defeat or death. Either choice, _regardless_, left her with the possibility of you hating her and losing all sense of yourself.

"She didn't do it because she was being selfish. If that were the case she would have told you. Sakura might or might not have been wrong for not telling you right away. But even if she was wrong, not telling you, was selfless. Utterly so. Can you really be angry with her for that, Kakashi?"

"....No," he whispered.

"Now, I'll as you again, _what_ are you going to do?"

He smiled as he thought it over. But in the end, he realized the answer was a simple one. "First? I'd like to go home and get a shower, shave and maybe get some breakfast... after that?" He sighed. "I have three people to see before her. And none of them are going to be too welcoming, I'm sure. After that?" He smiled again and looked down. "You should already know the answer, old man."

"Very well, Kakashi," he said with a half smile as he waved his hands and the scene around him began to fade. "Just remember, sometime it's easier to say things than it is to take them back..."


	63. Chapter 63

**..Chapter Sixty-Three..**

**..**

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**..**

_This is not what I intended_

_I always swore to you I'd never fall apart_

_You always thought that I was stronger_

_I may have failed, but I have loved you from the start_

_--Secondhand Serenade, Fall For you_

**..**

**.**

His whole body stood taunt, muscles flexing as he moved. Every ridge of tightening flesh adjusted as he took a step forward and spread his arms, pulling back. Black orbs narrowed and pale lips of pink parted halfway. Hot breaths wafted beyond. His chest rose and fell as he took another step and shifted his weight. A sheen of sweat slicked his entire body, covering it in a glossy layer which reflected in the light of his bare chest and back. His concentration showed as well as his lack of rest. His arms ached from holding the same position time and time again throughout the morning.

He released the cocked arrow with a wince and a grunt. He watched as the aforementioned weapon sailed the distance and met with the target. A half dozen or so others sat in it's place. Some littered the ground. Some were broken. Others still were lay in the dirt, jutting out from only sailing on half power.

He sighed softly and reached for another arrow next to him, cocking it into place and aiming.

This sort of thing wasn't beyond him. It wasn't completely unlike him to leave for hours with Stalker in tow, go to some unknown location and toil away in silent training all by himself. Normally, he spent it working on his swordsmanship, but today? The bow was looking to be a finer choice. He relished the feel of pain slicing through his body. He relished the feel of reaching his breaking point where everything would just seize and lock up. If anything, the sleep after now would be deep and restful.

He wasn't angry. He wasn't raging with emotions as before. What he was trying to do was find some sort of zen state to relax into and release. Oddly enough... it was something Kakashi had taught him. And as he pulled back tighter on the bow, aiming once more, the memory came back to him...

...

_Sasuke cried out in agony and rage as he hit the ground, flat on his back. He growled, eyes blazing red and black as he stared up at his adversary. He was almost too far gone to be anything but blinded by his anger; wanting to lash out at anyone. He hated failing, messing up, looking like some weak good for nothing brat like Naruto or Sakura._

_Kakashi sighed from where he stood, idly twirling a kunai in his left hand as he read from his Icha Icha novel._

_Sasuke scowled as he stood up and dusted himself off. Somewhere to his far right, he could hear Stalker screeching. He didn't yet understand all the sounds the bird made, but he somehow _knew_ the creature was laughing at his expense. And this only severed to anger him further._

_"Can't you take this seriously, sensei?"_

_"I am."_

_"You're reading," he deadpanned._

_Kakashi smirked. "Of course I am. Very astute of you."_

_Sasuke growled once again as he glared at him. Anger shot off of him in waves as he scolded him. "I mean, it's a little irritating to have your opponent read!"_

_Kakashi snorted. "I would need to if you would stop letting your emotions control you; or perhaps if you quit fighting them altogether."_

_"What in the _hell_ is that suppose to mean?"_

_"I mean, Sasuke," he said as he snapped his book shut and stopped toying with the kunai in his free hand, "that you need to pick one or the other. As a shinobi you must either accept your emotions and cease fighting them, or you must control them. Either way, you have to pick one and find a center. A point of zen. Do you understand?"_

_He blinked, flabbergasted. "No..."_

_Kakashi sighed and stepped forward. "Let's start with the first one. You have a lot of pent up rage, anger and hatred. And the only time you release it is in one powerful burst. This isn't a bad thing; however, your first mistake is in trying to control them by fighting them. It's almost like telling your legs to run while they're tangled up in wires, you'll just end up tripping all over yourself. Although, considering where a lot of your feelings draw from, this isn't all that surprising."_

_Kakashi moved to lean up against the back of a tree and cross his arms over his chest as he continued. "I personally dislike letting my own emotions dictate my actions in battle. But, it seems to work for Naruto... even if he goes a little too far now and then." He smiled, good eye crinkling just before he got serious again. "Controlling them utterly is a lot harder. You're forced to set them aside and deal with the reasoning behind the fighting later. It's a mindset utilized in ANBU more than anywhere else; mainly because the missions you deal with are delicate and generally, your feelings are far from important. It's best if you don't have any; as they can cloud judgment. But," he sighed out, "those are the two schools of thought."_

_Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He hated feelings like he was being dissected or dictated to, but Kakashi had a point. Wasn't this why they were there in the first place? With solom, unreadable features he looked downward. "And which one fits me?"_

_"That's something you have to decide."_

_Sasuke looked away, his eyes drawing to Stalker perched upon a low tree branch. But he wasn't looking at him. He was thinking abut his brother. Hate me, he'd told him. He half frowned. Hate him, huh? Look how far that had gotten him. And since when did he ever do anything because his brother insisted he do so? Wasn't he trying to be unlike him, or at least unlike the image he sought to draw him into, mold him to?_

_As he looked up at Kakashi he found himself saying, "Teach me how to let my emotions go. Teach me... to let go of my anger so it doesn't hamper me any longer...." His eyes narrowed as he looked away. "I don't want to be what he wants me to be.... it's.. it's not worth it, sensei."_

_Kakashi smiled suddenly and very softly. "We'll start with simple mediation, stamina training and then we'll see how long you can go without a demanding outburst."_

_Sasuke groaned and Kakashi laughed, patting him on the back._

...

He'd put him through hell after that. It'd taken a long time for Sasuke to place his rage and anger aside, to learn how to fight without letting his emotions control him in such a way he was fighting them all the time. He found it was much easier to simply numb himself to pain, find his center and relax. Standing there, allowing it all to wash away, made him feel free and unchained.

"You know, if you dropped your arm just an inch... "

...And then it came right back.

He scowled as he let the arrow sail, ripping upward as it cut through the air. He grumbled as it reached a peak a good hundred or so feet away and landed in the dirt, far, far from the target. He stared at it as though it were a broken toy. And why not? After hours of trying to release his emotions and find his center in the most peaceful way possible... HE was back.

He sighed, frustrated. "Is there any particular reason you have for being here? I would think after the night before, the last thing you'd want to do was bother me again, sensei."

Kakashi stared at his back as his hands remained stuffed characteristically into his pockets. "I suppose I can't blame you for that..."

"Hn," he muttered, setting his long bow down and leaned on it slightly.

"I came to apologize."

He jerked slightly, turning swiftly to stare at him. He looked a little surprised, if anything. Or at least as surprised as Sasuke could manage. His lips were parted once more, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "I said some pretty stupid things last night."

"Stupid?" He scoffed. "I could think of any other number of verbs to describe what you said last night, and none of them nice or near as sugar coated as what you call... stupid."

He nodded slowly.

"She's not just my goddamned teammate, sensei. She never was. She was a friend when I never wanted her to be. And she loved me in my darkest hours even if I never appreciated it. I left her for six years, never once considering her feelings." His lips drew a flat line. "And when you came into her life? As a boy? I realized how much of an ass I'd been. You saw something in her I never took the time to fully understand until it was gone." He shook his head. "When I said you didn't deserve her I was honest; not just because you were drunk, but because as a man who use to be in love... you can't fully grasp what you have until it isn't yours anymore. Do you get _that_?"

He didn't wait for him to respond. "Sakura isn't just any girl. She has something that few can really see unless they take the time. And for whatever reason?" He laughed bitterly, turning away as he reached for another arrow and cocked it. "She always sticks herself with emotionally damaged men who don't give a fuck until it's too late." He let it fly. It thunked satisfyingly against the post, hitting center and splitting another arrow.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing to me? I'm not the one you mentally raped like a dog in heat. I'm not the one you essentially called a whore. I'm not the one you left a broken, bloody, scared mess in Waterfall city, Kakashi."

"You must hate me," he whispered.

"I don't hate you, sensei," he said as he turned to face him once more. "Quite the opposite. I love you like I love a father. I respect you as I would a man who was five times more honorable and wiser than myself. The things you have instilled in me go against everything I saw in you last night."

"What will make it right, Sasuke?" He sighed out, looking towards the distance.

"Make things right with Sakura," he muttered as he turned around. "But.."

"Yes?"

His eyes hardened as he reached for another arrow and cocked into place. "If you ever do what you did her again, with the Sharingan... " He let it hang at that, as if the words didn't need to be said as he let the arrow fly and hit it's mark. He didn't even bother turning around as Kakashi left. To the careful observer it might seem as though nothing had been solved. However, both men knew better. In his own way, Sasuke's threat, had been his way of forgiving his sensei. Both of them were alike in so many ways, especially in saying things with so many words without really saying them at all.

ooo

The next visit really goes almost without mention. Almost.

As Kakashi had walked the small dirt path along the road in the Uchiha compound he'd deeply considered and contemplated what he'd tell his friend. He wasn't nervous, or concerned; because, Obito was Obito. If he were on Naruto's good side he could literally do no wrong. And such was the case with Obito and of course Rin. No matter how bad things got, or how deeply he screwed up, the ebony haired, black eyed boy turned man would never think ill of him. And yet...

He almost owed him all over again; simply for all the things he'd put in through for almost two decades. In this respect it was worth mentioning.

But as he'd come to his house he was told by the young man's aunt who was passing through herself and leaving, he'd gone off with Rin to help out with a few students in the training areas. So, he walked all the way back from whence he'd come. He passed by the board where each area was listed with who was using it and found his name next to Rin's. As he made his way to area ten he heard voices.

Young children, or what he considered children, were laughing. He smiled a little as he came around the bend and walked into the scene before him.

A group of three students were all playing some shinobi version of the game TAG. Each one was grinning, laughing and running with balls of paint in their hands. Each one was chasing after either Obito or Rin, trying to hit them with the balls. Everyone was covered in the brightly colored stuff. He couldn't help but be reminded of the time he and Sakura had played the same game.

He stood there for a while, not wanting to interrupt. And it wasn't until Rin caught sight of him and smiled that the game stopped. Everyone walked the distance towards him. The three runts grinned up at him.

"Awful early in the morning for you, bastard," Obito said as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, well, were not all wadded up balls of energy like you, crybaby."

Rin chuckled and shook her head only slightly in disapproval as the students laughed. "Things hardly ever change. Do they?"

All three stared at each other for a while, as if trying to communicate some far off memory the likes of which would never be recovered, or perhaps reminiscing silently over one they had.

With a cheeky grin, Obito called out as he slowly turned in the direction of the students, "Grunts, allow me to introduce a good friend of mine--Hatake Kakashi, also known as the Copy Nin AND the most lazy, good for nothing maggot in the history of Konoha. Never eat out with him because he'll always foot you with the bill. If he ever offers to teach you something at some godforsaken hour show up at least five hours later--because he most certainly will. And never, ever--this is the most important one--_ever_, let him convince you to do something you know from the start is a bad idea. Nine times out of ten,_ it is_."

Kakashi snorted. "You're still pissed off about that one? Kami, man, it happened when we were ....like...."

"Twelve," Rin supplied. "Were were twelve and you were eleven."

Obito crossed his arms over his chest. "I still have scars from that... woman."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Scars my ass..."

The kids giggled and one tugged on Rin's sleeve asking, "What happened?"

Rin smiled and sighed. "It's a long story..." At their hopeful and long faces she relented. "Very well... Team Minato--."

"The Hokage, right?" One offered.

"Yes," Rin affirmed. "The Hokage. But he wasn't then. Then he was our team leader. But, as I was saying, were sent on a mission to Cloud to a very small town to retrieve some information on some... lord supplying Rock with funds during the war. We didn't get much information... however," she grinned as she spoke, "what we did get was trouble. In passing Obito and Kakashi heard two men telling of a rare gem hidden within the likes of a labyrinth haunted by a witch. The gem was rumored to have chakra-like properties. And anyone who ever dared to gain it never returned or was ever heard from again. Now," she continued, really getting into the story as he looked down at three sent of wide eyes, "Obito wasn't frightened, but the story had shaken him. Kakashi taunted him as he always did and this led to a dare. Kakashi claimed if he really wan't scared he'd go to this labyrinth and prove it. Obito dared that he should go with him and turned it into a game. The one who didn't find the gem first would have to buy the winner dinner for a week once we got back to Konoha."

She ignored the glares from both men as she went one. "They stayed the whole night, trying to find that gem. There was none of course, and the supposed witch was a lost, confused and mentally unstable shinobi. She'd been there for years surviving on things growing in the maze." Rin chuckled. "In the end, both Minato and myself found the two boys scared, hungry and clinging to one another as they tried to avoid... " she snickered, "'the banshee'."

At this both men groaned, slapped hands over their faces simultaneously while three young students laughed until they fell over.

"Reputation for being a bad ass ruined," Obito muttered.

"More like mine," Kakashi grunted out. "You hardly had anything to lose over that; people found you out years ago."

The children just kept laughing.

Rin grinned and clapped them to attention. "Alright, kids. I think I've bruised their egos enough." She winked at the guys while ushering the kids away. "Why don't we leave them to their misery and finish our game."

Obito shook his head as the group wandered off. "So... now that that's over with..." He sighed and turned to face him, arms crossing over his chest as he slid his hands out of his pockets. He eyed his best friend rather curiously. A single eyebrow was raised and his lips twitched in curiosity.

Kakashi's brows arched. "Hm? What?"

"Don't give me that crap."

"What crap?"

"'What crap'? You know what I'm talking about. You, coming here. Seeking me out."

He blinked. "I need a reason to see my best friend?"

Obito snorted. "In the last fourteen or so years I can't name one time I've seen you unless, A)" he held up a finger, "I drug you out of a bar, B)" he held up another finger, "I came to check you because no one had seen you for at least three days, C)" another finger, "Someone asked me to come scrape your ass off the street where you'd fallen asleep piss ass drunk, or D)" another finger, "Just because I felt like visiting you and got tired of being ignored as if I no longer existed, as if none of us did. So," he muttered, placing his arm back in it's crossed position over his chest, "excuse me if I'm a little... shocked."

Maybe this was going to be harder than he thought. Once again, like with Sasuke, he was scratching the back of his head. "I guess that's my fault."

"Hn... ya think?"

He sighed and looked off into the distance where Rin was playing with the kids. "I guess I've done a lot of things over the years I'm not proud off... and it seems taking you and Rin for granted is yet another one I overlooked." He looked back at him, meeting his gaze. "I'm sorry for being an ass and worrying you two to death. I put you through hell, and despite this you still stuck around. I don't think any amount of apologies will ever be enough for what you've done, or ever express how much It means to me." His eyes narrowed slightly, but not in anger or hate; but, in regret and humility for all he'd done. "I can only hope you don't hate me for it, now that I've woken up from my haze."

Obito stared at him for a while as if he wasn't seeing the right man, as if he were dreaming or it was some type of genjutsu. He looked deeply into his eyes, trying read everything he said, trying to find some hint of a lie. And when he found none, he said quietly, "You did hurt us a lot, bastard. We gave you everything because we loved you like family. And no matter how hard we tried to reach you, to give you something to live for... we weren't good enough. You're damned right it hurt, you son of a bitch."

"Obito, I--."

"Shut up," he muttered, his voice shaking. "I'm not finished yet. I've held my tongue for years because I didn't know what else to do. Because I was afraid getting mad at you, beating sense into you would only make things worse. You said you nothing might ever be enough to make up for it... well, letting me talk will," he whispered hoarsely, trying to contain his emotions. "I loved you like a brother and it hurt me to watch you go through what you did. But, as much as it hurt me, it hurt Rin more. I can't even begin to tell you how many countless nights she stayed up crying over you, worrying about you and what you were doing to yourself."

"She never said anything..." He glanced over at her. "I didn't..."

Obito shook his head. "Rin's strong, Kakashi. A hell of a lot stronger than any of us ever gave her credit for. And seeing you in and out of the hospital day in and day out... mission after mission... it almost killed her. She hides it well, she always will."

"I..."

"I'm not done yet," he muttered, almost snapping. "The thing that hurt me the most in all of this was that one night... that one _night _that so burned itself into my memory I tracked you for three weeks after it, just to make sure you wouldn't do it." He closed his good eye and exhaled; trying to get his emotions under control. "When you said you were thinking about going your father's route... " He looked at him, forcing him to meet his gaze. "I've seen things in my life--done things--that would scare anyone with half a lick of sense so badly... if they weren't as seasoned as we are they would have been traumatized... but nothing, _nothing_, ever scared me... made me shake with fear and worry so badly as what you said to me that night did."

Kakashi looked down, avoiding the emotions coming off his best friend in waves so badly it was nearly enough to make him weak in the knees. He didn't know what to say. He supposed he deserved it, should have expected it one day... but he hadn't. Obito hid everything so well, just like Naruto. Every smile, every whoop of joy, every grin and witty reply was his way of hiding the pain most of the time.

He wasn't shocked when he put an arm over his shoulder and smiled. "I love you bastard," he said. "I always will. All the fire in hell will never rid you of me. But," he said the last bit sternly, "if you ever... _ever_ put me through that shit again..."

Kakashi held up a hand, smiling humorously in half mock fear. "You have my personal permission to kick, punch and otherwise beat some sense into me."

"Glad we understand each other," he grinned as he spoke. "Now, how about we show these kids how this game is played, hm? That is... unless you're too afraid to be shown up by a seasoned veteran like myself?" He arched his brows as he baited him.

Kakashi snorted. "Afraid, of you? Now you're just playing with fire."

"Is it working?"

"Give me the damned paint balls, crybaby."

That was answer enough.


	64. Chapter 64

**..Chapter Sixty-Four..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_Leaves from the vine_

_Falling so slow_

_Like fragile tiny shells_

_Drifting in the foam..._

_Little soldier boy_

_Come marching home_

_Brave soldier boy_

_Comes marching home..._

_--Avatar: Last Airbender (Iroh's Song), Little Soldier Boy_

**..**

**.**

Kakashi stood before the door to Minato's house. His hands were dug into his pockets. His one good eye, uncovered, was half shut lazily. His slouch was slightly more pronounced. He stared at the door, as if memorizing it's seams and cracks. His lips remained relaxed from expression and unmoving.

Outside, he looked calm and deep in thought. He looked almost as he always had, without the angst of course. To anyone passing by and momentarily looking at him all they saw was a man waiting for someone to answer the door. However, inside was a different story altogether.

He hadn't knocked yet. He didn't have the nerve to. If he was this nervous about talking to his surrogate father then how was he ever going to handle approaching Sakura?

He sighed and closed his eye softly.

Apologizing to Minato was almost worse in a way. A very different way. And he hadn't realized how much until after he'd spoken to Eon. Minato, like Obito and Rin, had been there with him the entire time. In many ways he'd taken the brunt of his grief and anger worse than anyone. Not because they didn't care enough or because they weren't close enough. But because he was essentially the only father figure he'd had after his own passed away.

The day Minato had taken him home Kakashi had been emotionally distraught and so shocked he barely expressed anything. He took his pain out on him. He treated him coolly. He brushed him off at every attempt of affection and help. He'd made it perfectly clear for many years the only thing he'd wanted from him was training. He'd pushed and pushed and pushed... And not once had Minato ever yelled at him for the way he treated him. Not once had he forced him to do anything outside of training. And kindly, he'd never confronted him about his feelings. Instead, he'd been there in every way Kakashi would let him. He'd quietly stood by him as a child and had only offered him words of advice when he asked for them.

Then there were the years after Sakura. He'd turned halfway right back into that boy who treated everyone like a second class citizen, and halfway into some broken after image trying to hide the pain with fake smiles and riddled words. But to Minato? He'd been an ass. As a son, he'd hurt him impossibly bad. If he'd ever disappointed him, he'd not told him. How hard was it to watch a child grow into a man, helpless to save him from himself? How hard was it to keep yourself restrained as that same child cut you time and time again with his insults, cruel sarcasm and callous words?

And the entire time.... he'd loved him unconditionally.

The question was... did he still? Having had a few hours to think it over, did his adoptive father finally say to hell with it and him? Of all the things he'd ever said to him, done to him, doing what he did to him that day in the Hokage office had to be the lowest. He hadn't told him he wasn't his father since the day Minato ripped him off ANBU and before then when he'd been a boy. And each time he'd said it... he always looked as though Kakashi had cut him with a knife, straight into the core of his chest. Kakashi only ever said it to him when he really felt cornered. It was the only way he felt he could lash out at him and hurt him as much as he was hurting. He was almost surprised it'd taken him over sixteen years to literally say something about it, heated, angry and brokenhearted.

Children always hurt their parents. As they grow they say things, do things that can never be done over. And each pain a parent feels it a small scar that latches onto their heart. Parents who care and take the time to listen and help their children carry a burden few understand or realize.

When you date someone or befriend someone, when they hurt you, you can walk away from them; you can tell them to go away and it's ok to not care anymore, to not love. However, with a child, if you're a good parent, you can't leave, there is no walking away, and willing yourself to not love them anymore is like dying. Being a parent, the word itself, means loving unconditionally. No matter how much they push you away, make you cry, tell you they hate you, or hurt themselves you still love them and you still wish the best for them. And as they hurt you, hurt themselves, you must stand idly by, watching and waiting for them to reach out and finally take the help they need.

The scars that line a parent's heart never go away. To heal them to a pink after image you need love and forgiveness; something it seems all parents have a lot of.

Kakashi sighed again and opened his uncovered eye. He deserved whatever he got at this point. If his sensei wanted him to go, he would. Kakashi would wait for him this time, if he wanted that. It was no less than he deserved.

He reached up and knocked gently. Moments later the door opened and Kushina greeted him. He looked up at her and half smiled genuinely.

"Kakashi..." she blinked as she spoke. It was obvious she was surprised. "I haven't see you on this doorstep..."

"I know, I'm long overdue for a visit. My apologies."

"That's alright." She smiled. "Do you need something?"

"Is Minato-sama in?"

She nodded. "He is, but... it's his day off. If you'd come earlier I would have said go right out into the backyard and into the greenhouse. Right now, however, he'd meditating. And he hates to be disturbed..."

Kakashi sighed and slouched a bit more. It had taken him a good hour to build his nerve to even talk. How long would it take the next time? He looked off to the side.

Kushina watched him, her lips pursing in thought. "You know..."

"Hm?"

She smiled. "I tell you what, if you want to, you can join him for a bit. Or just wait. But, you have to promise not to bother him until he's done."

"Understood."

With that she stepped back from the door and opened it wider. She led him across the toy littered home and into the back yard. As they reached the edge of the porch she pointed to a figure with his back to them, sitting cross legged in the center of the yard surrounded by nature and atop a small circle of mulch. "There he is."

"Thank you, Kushina-sama." He looked over at her.

She nodded but said nothing more as she walked away and into the house, screen door shutting behind her.

Kakashi turned away from the door and back to looking at his sensei. He didn't know he took Sundays off. He didn't know he meditated. He never had when Kakashi had been young and under his roof; before he married Kushina. There was probably a lot he didn't know about Minato now; a lot he had been too angry and too selfish to care to know. Kushina had said something about him being the greenhouse earlier. Did he garden? It almost seemed odd to imagine his sensei digging in the dirt, caring for flowers. How much more did he not know about the man who apparently knew everything about him?

He looked down as he walked across the lawn. He trudged past rose bushes, brightly colored carnations, daisies, impatiens, forget-me-nots, orchids, and birds of paradise. With all the sounds and smells he could understand why Minato would want to meditate here. And when he finally made it to his sensei, standing but three feet away from his back, he sat down in much the same position. He closed his eyes and he waited; he waited just as Minato waited for years, painfully, for the boy he loved so much to find his way back.

It was almost agonizing, sitting there, being patient while trying to put his body at ease and relax. His mind went through a hundred or so scenarios of what might happen next; of how he might react. Would he scold him like Sasuke and Obito had done? Would he try to fight with him again, in some form of personal vindication? Would he simply get up, walk away and ignore him? And the more he sat, the more he thought, the more his insides twisted and he worried; the more he blamed himself and hated every word or action he'd said or taken.

No other man could have dealt with a child, a young adult, as Minato had without pushing away or back. But, he was unmovable. He always had been. Minato had a way of knowing when to truly take the offense and when to utterly yield. He'd always know the right things to say, to do, when dealing with him. But, had he pushed him too far?

He could recall a time when he'd fought with him the night after joining his new team on the Tower, meeting them for the first time. He'd yelled at him, saying the officials in the Tower must have got it wrong, the Hokage must have got it wrong. They were a hindrance, he'd said; the only one of any good being Rin because she was a medic. Obito, he'd told Minato, was a joke. He'd stubbornly grouched he was far too good to be saddled with a boy who couldn't even manage to show up to something as simple as meeting with his team on time.

In response, his sensei, his mentor, had merely smiled and let him rant until he was done. And when Kakashi realized he wasn't saying anything he'd actually inquired why he wasn't. He wanted to know his thoughts on it. And of all the things his sensei could of said, his only reply was, 'I would, but you're not ready to hear it.' And he hadn't been, not until Obito's death scare. And it was then his teacher had told him later, sighing, 'You were young. You still are. You were brash, arrogant, and would have thought anyone was a burden. It didn't matter if it was Obito who'd showed up or someone else. He or she could have been a Jounin like me and you still would have considered them a burden to your goals. If I'd told you that then? You wouldn't have listened and ultimately, it would have made you angry. Make sense?'

It had then. And it was a prime example of his sensei knowing the right time to yield. Sometimes, you can say everything by simply saying nothing at all. And for Kakashi, growing up, he'd learned a lot from Minato because he'd never said anything to begin with.

If he were only half the man...

He suddenly opened his eye as Minato made a movement. He sat up a little straighter and once again nervousness flashed in his system. Pulling out of his meditation he must have realized Kakashi was there. Despite this he wasn't moving, nor was he speaking. He just sat there, as if waiting as well.

It was such a long pause compromised of Kakashi staring at his back, then sometimes at the ground when it became too much and of Minato being utterly silent as well as unreadable.

What was he thinking, he wondered. Was he shocked, angry, surprised? Was he trying to figure out a way to tell him to go the hell away and quit hurting him? As it became more and more apparent he wasn't going to move or say anything, Kakashi realized he was going to have to talk first.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, sensei," he began with a strained voice. "I'm sorry for being an ass as a child. I'm sorry I pushed you away. I'm sorry I returned your kindness with disrespect. I'm sorry I cut you out of my life. I'm sorry I hardly ever came to visit... I..." With each apology his voice became more strained and more shaky. With each breath he felt his face prick and his throat tighten while he tried to fight tears. "I'm sorry for so many things, sensei. You gave me so much, you gave... and you gave... and you... g-gave..." His heart tightened and he felt his shoulders start to shake as he hunched over. His hands moved up and he rubbed his eyes, trying to prevent tears. "And all I ever gave you was heartache. You could have walked away. You could have thrown me out in the street. You could have... you could have done any number of things.." He felt the first tear fall, despite trying to restrain himself. He hated the way his lips nearly quivered. He took in a deep breath. "But, you never did," he half whispered as he cried. "You loved me like your own and all you got for it was... hatefulness." He swallowed as he stared at his back. He could barely see his shoulders shaking in rage. "Tell me to go and I will. Tell me to leave and I will. Tell me you're disappointed in me, that you're furious with me and I'll--."

But Minato did none of these things.

Kakashi found himself cut off as his sensei reached for him and yanked him into his arms as though it were the last time he'd ever see him. He gripped onto him as though he were his reason for living, as though he'd come back from the dead.

"I was never angry with you," he whispered. "I was sad."

As a wetness hit Kakashi's shoulder he realized his teacher was crying as well. "How can you not be? After all I put you through?" He was shocked,

"Because," he said through tears, "you are my son. You have been since the day they gave me guardianship of you. And no matter how much you hurt me, how much you push me away, I will _always_ be there for you, Kakashi; I will _always_ love you."

It was then Kakashi cried harder. He lost himself to the tears. He shook with them. But these were not the tears of depression or grief, these were tears brought out of emotion. He was feeling so many. He was happy because Minato didn't hate him. He was still sad for what he'd done. He was overwhelmed at the level of strength a man like his sensei had.

"I love you, father," he whispered.

Minato said nothing for a moment. And Kakashi was almost afraid he'd said the wrong thing. "You didn't have to say that," he said quietly. "Not to make me feel better."

"I said it because I meant it," he admitted.

He was quiet a moment longer, and then, as if understanding, replied while gripping him tighter than before, "I love you too, son."

Kakashi didn't miss how he shook a bit more. He didn't miss the smile that touched his eyes as he backed up, stood up and walked back into the house; as they both reconciled. He understood what that quiet acceptance had mean. Telling him, accepting him verbally as the second man to hold that title, was the only thing Minato had ever wanted, but would never have asked for.


	65. Chapter 65

**..Chapter Sixty-Five..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_And I forgot_

_To tell you_

_I love you_

_And the night's_

_Too long_

_And cold here_

_Without you_

_I grieve in my condition_

_For I cannot find_

_the words to say_

_I need you so _

_--Sarah McLachlan, I Love You_

**..**

**.**

Uzumaki Naruto at the tender age of a few hours old had been left to the village his father had left as his unforeseen legacy to be revered as a hero by all. His mother had died giving birth without the aid of a proper medic. Of course, all of this had never happened. Well it had, but to _him_. To the rest of the world it was a lost former reality. The only traces of it left were in what bare memories he and his team mates had.

That is neither here nor there. We were discussing Naruto, not the people around him and their perceptions of _this_ reality.

As a young boy he'd been ignored, beaten, laughed at, scorned, abandoned and unloved by all who came in contact with him. This was a constant until he entered the Academy; where his need for attention spiraled off into some great effort of enthusiasm that more often than naught, landed him in trouble with Iruka-sensei. The children around him had no idea what he carried within him or the sacrifice he'd made to his village unasked as a baby. The main judgments they made were in regards to his rash and clown-like behavior; of which he only acted because of how he'd grown up until then.

As a child only it had been only natural for him to wonder why no one loved _him_, cared for _him_, wanted _him _and all but ignored _him. _He had no idea at the time what he was or what his father had done for him or the villagers. Instead of being revered as a hero, a legend or a legacy to the people Minato had so loved and had faith in, by the people of the village he'd been looked upon as though he were the demon he entrapped within his core. And this traveled on into the children in the school and mixed in with perceived actions he displayed in an attempt to be loved. Not only did the hate their parents passed onto them, even if they didn't understand why they disliked him, but the apparent goofishness and 'stupidity' also angled into their point of view.

It had taken many years and well tended friendships for Naruto to find a place to fit in somewhere. And even then the edge was a thin line. He always felt out of place growing up, especially when these same children invited him home, only to be turned away by their parents. He didn't get it. He was alone.

With all of these factors added together Naruto did the only rational thing a child like himself could do. He decided to force them to look at him, to see him, and achieve the strongest recognized position in the village.

Hokage.

Going to the Academy, graduating and learning why he was so 'put out' by his peers' parents only made this choice that much more stronger in his mind.

He would not be seen as a demon.

He would not be seen as a burden or a goof.

He would not be seen as a child; a boy.

He... would be seen a man worthy of notoriety and attention; just as good and equal as all others before and around him.

Joining a team with the girl he had a childhood crush on, the dear sweet Sakura made everything that much better; even with Sasuke around, that jackass. He'd hardly taken note of him in the Academy because Sasuke didn't like to be taken note of. He didn't _want_ to be seen by those around him, regarding them as unworthy, or something like that. Despite not wanting to be given attention, Sasuke got ALL of it. From the feinting fangirls right up to the young boys wanting to learn from his example or be like him.

It was only natural for Naruto to ignore him as though he were a plague then. Why not? Where Naruto wanted attention, love and got none, Sasuke wanted none of it and got it in troves. It hadn't seemed fair or right. Being on his team, gaining Sakura's undivided attention only made this twist of jealousy worse.

To Naruto, Sasuke fought better, he moved better, he dealt with the terrors of life better.

He _was_ better.

He had had no reason to be!

But then... something amazing had happened.

Naruto became more than a rival, he became more than a troublesome clown, he became... a friend. For the first time in his life... someone of equal standing, someone close to him in so many unsaid words, recognized him.

Not as a demon.

Not as a boy.

Not as a burden.

But as an equal, a man and someone Naruto found himself caring deeply for. Perhaps even Naruto didn't know how much. Perhaps he didn't care. It was something no one but the raven haired, single, last living Uchiha could have given him; it was unspoken and mayhap always would be.

But this was but a small ripple in a pond full of so many others. Naruto loved them. All of them. Sasuke was merely one strand in a dazzling thousand.

Of course, there was still dear sweet, perfect Sakura. It didn't matter how many sisters he had or would have after. Naruto would always care deeply for her as if she were his first. She'd been his first crush, his first close 'girlfriend', and one of two of his greatest confidants for many years of his life even when she wasn't there because of his travels.

Sakura, as Sasuke had stated many times before, was special.

She wasn't just any girl.

Sure, guys, fathers, brothers said this all the time about any number of women in their life. But Sakura _really_ was. Which is probably why he'd thought himself in love with her. She filled a gap in his life that for a long time no one else could. The gap of family and close knit friendship. When she laughed with him it warmed his heart. When she stood beside him it gave him a sense of unexpected confidence and when she cried it cut him like a rusted knife.

Naruto was always full of emotions. They drove him to do both stupid and amazing things. But this was just Naruto. No matter how old he grew or how wise he got in his age, he would always allow his emotions to drive him in some degree. This couldn't be entirely blamed on him. There was the fox to consider as well.

Sure, there was a double standard with men and women. If it were Sasuke who'd been injured emotionally he'd be pissed just the same. He might not run off and hit some girl... er maybe guy... but he would glare and say his peace. It wasn't so much a double standard as it was simply due to the fact that Sasuke and Sakura were two different people. Granted, all three of them held a lot in and they all had a breaking point... but when Sakura hurt... that broken, battered, clipped wing kinda hurt... it was just _different_. Sasuke didn't cry when he ached, not that Naruto ever saw him if he did. He just got angry and brooded like a tormented soul from hell's black Abyss. Sakura cried... and not in the normal way either. She cried like she didn't want to, like she wasn't suppose to and so damned gracefully at that. It was normal and he didn't know how to deal with it. The only thing he knew how to do was go hit something, whether it was the person who hurt her or some hunk of wood to vent on.

He'd restrained himself so well for two or so days. He'd stayed home and watched her, tended after her with Sasuke. He'd paced and grunted and growled, digging his nails into his palms to the point of scarring. The fox had brooded within him, growling as well, reflecting off his mood and pacing within his cell to only make matters worse for his container. The red demon was like a storm brewing in reaction to Naruto's coiling emotions.

But now, with the door wide open and staring at the object of his terrorizing anger and wrought fever of pain over his broken, battered, lost-in-the-eyes team mate... he did the only thing that first came to mind.

He hit him.

He panted, his entire body poised, taunt and ripped with the fever as his eyes flashed red on Sasuke's doorstep. The fox within him cried out in joy as he stared at the body of his sensei coated in dust, dirt and debris from the fence around his friend's home. People stared, paused in the street and blinked. But, it must be fairly normal for such a happening in a shinobi village. For, when no other action occurred other than Kakashi slowly standing, coughing and dusting himself off they all moved on and went abut their way.

Naruto hardly moved. He slowly allowed his arms to fall and glared. His fangs became hidden as he closed his fang-bared mouth and narrowed his eyes. He didn't know what to say to him. He didn't want to say anything. It had taken everything in him to quell his emotions, beat them away and calm down that much.

He watched Kakashi like hardened, cold, indifferent animal fighting his own blood lust while the wind tousled his shaggy blond strands. As his mentor stepped forward slowly and kept his distance wisely he said nothing. The porch was slightly higher off the ground; and it was with satisfaction he looked down on the silver haired Jounin.

"Is Sakura in?"

His eye narrowed further while he considered a reply. "Do you know how many ways I've thought up to kill you in just this small span of time, sensei?"

Kakashi said nothing.

"Most people think I'm a idiot. They say I'm too rash, too quick to act, too fast to run off the handle. So far, I think I've done a pretty decent job of keeping myself in check over the years, all considered."

Silence.

"I've had some pretty close calls in my life in regards to my anger and emotions; even when I didn't know why or what I was keeping in check. However," he murmured coldly, "I don't I've ever fought the need to bleed someone to death, in pieces, as badly as I did but twenty seconds ago..._sensei_.

"I might not be as smart as Sakura or as noble as Sasuke... but that's _my_ girl you hurt, asshole. _Mine_. Not some two bit tramp, not some roll in hay you slept with last night and she's _not_ one of these half whit, half assed, poor excuses they call a _woman_ twenty years her senior. **She's. Fucking. Sakura.**" As he said this he stepped down off the porch and closed the distance, he poked him the chest three times, harder after each one with each of his last three words.

"I might not be as skilled as you. I might not be as old as you. I might not be even be half as experienced as you, sensei. But, if you ever..." he said in a deadly tone as he narrowed his cold blue pools on him. "I will use every weapon, every skill, every fiber of my being and I will _hunt you down._

"I won't win. The fox may kill me before were done with each other. And I don't give a damn. Because..."

"Because it's Sakura," Kakashi agreed as he watched Naruto shake with rage. "I know..."

All he did was nod as he turned around and walked back towards the house. "She's not here. But even I knew where she ran off to--."

"You wouldn't tell me," he finished once more as the door slammed shut, nearly cracking. He almost jumped. A weaker man would have. He less skilled, less aware and less notable shinobi might have. Internally, he could say he had. Not because of the sound, but because of the meaning behind that sound. He hadn't come looking to pick a fight with Naruto. However, he should have expected that. It's probably why he hadn't moved to dodge the fist coming his way moments ago.

But, it wasn't Naruto he had to worry about. It was Sakura. And if she wasn't here, and he was sure she wasn't, it was time for him to go. Naruto could be talked to later. The boy was always much easier to deal with after he'd expressed his anger and calmed down. He'd be that much easier to deal with once Kakashi actually made amends with her...

At first he'd went to her apartment after he'd left Minato's. He thought perhaps she wasn't answering the door. But after breaking the lock on her window and searching the home, he'd found she really hadn't been there. She hadn't been there since she'd returned, he'd easily realized when he saw no sign of her backpack or other telltale signals that normally coupled with such a well lived in home.

After having been at Naruto's he knew she wasn't there. Logically, he'd went to Sasuke's. Apparently, the only one at home there was Naruto considering no one had come running out with all the noise that had gone on. He wasn't sure where to go now. As he stood at the end of Sasuke's path and in front of the dirt street in the compound he pondered.

But the more he thought the more frustrated he grew. Standing there was getting him no where. Thinking about where to go only served to depress him further. He gathered the only real thing to do was simply go on and look for her; everywhere, if need be.

ooo

Why did everything always bring her back here?

No matter how old you got, how you changed or where you went in life everybody had that one place they always came back to, whether it be your parent's home, a good friend's waiting arms or simply a memory half in the making.

When she'd been a child it'd been her room. And why not? It's seemed to be the most logical place for every kid to go to when they were angry at the world. As a young girl it had been Ino's house, even when they were still at odds over Sasuke. But now... as a much older and much wiser woman it was this place.

The place where the cherry blossom petals from the sakura trees never seemed to stop falling like a crying rain of euphoria; where the sounds of the outside world were muted, where the birds danced as if only for her, where the smells seemed somehow richer, where he'd told her he never wanted to live another moment without her as anything else but his wife.

Sakura closed her eyes softly.

She looked almost like a flower in bloom and yet wilting at the same time; so graceful and so utterly unique in all her interior beauty that the exterior flaws seemed insignificant. The only real flaws you could see were the ones of grief and agony. Naruto had perhaps thought it best when he'd imagined clipped wings. Within the white painted beams of the gazebo, His gazebo, she looked like a caged bird who could no longer fly.

She was hurting in a way she'd never imagined and wasn't anywhere near equipped to deal with it. This showed very clearly in such an quiet, lonely place. At home, in the company of her friends, her dear team, she'd felt comforted and safe. She'd grieved, mourned and cried until her tear ducts hurt. And after all that, even with the pain, she'd somehow managed to get up, gather herself and leave for a while.

She knew one thing.

No matter how badly he hurt, ached or felt betrayed, he should have considered her at some point. Maybe it wasn't right. It wasn't exactly logical. But she couldn't help how she felt. And in some way she had a right be upset. This entire time she had been hurting just as much as him. Maybe not as long as he had, but the pain was the same. How could he _not_ _once_ think of her? Wasn't love the thing that overcame all obstacles? Wasn't that was Eon had told her? What in the _hell_ was she suppose to do now? Yell at him? Scream? Beg? Beat? It all mixed within her and the rage continued to brew in a way very much like Naruto's.

She wasn't mad at him. She wasn't angry at him. She was angry in generality. And eventually, if she jst kept letting it stew with no real vent... the dam was going to burst. In all her pain, of course, she didn't know this. How many of us actually do? We don't. It just happens.

Though, even with all of this curling, churning within her, even with all of this... when she felt that forward breeze across her face stop and allowed her eyes to flash open at the sight of him, she didn't anything but yell, scream, cry, beg or beat.

She ran.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**AN: **It's been over a week since I updated. And surprisingly enough you all have been very patient. I almost expected a trove full of letters asking me where I'd run off to or if I was ok -chuckles-. In a way, I'm appreciative that I did not receive a bunch of those. I can only assume a great many of you simply read the message in my profile and figured out what was going on. For those of you who sent me words of prayer, hope and kindness in regards to the situation, I thank you for your sympathy. I hope I replied to all my reviews, but if I missed you and you had a question or concern, let me know. I'll do my best to get to you.

As for my absence...

Well, February 8th in the very early morning my father-in-law, whose house I live in with my boyfriend/fiance of four and half years along with his children, mother and good friend passed away. Some of you know from reading my profile or in general PM conversation he wasn't exactly ding well for a while. He'd been up and down for months. But here in the last two he got progressively worse. Now, of course, there is one thing you have to understand about this whole situation. Earnie, my father-in-law, was wheelchair bound. Deb, his widow (now) is mostly blind with diabetes to contend with. To meet her, you wouldn't know it. She's a very strong woman and always has been. She took care of him for many, many years. He was her eyes and she was his legs. That's just the way it was. Dad has been in and out of the hospital for years. No matter how bad he got, he always came home. As a family, it's been a small joke of ours that dad was already dead, the only thing keeping his body going was booze, tobacco and mom. So, when he passed away in the hospital, despite his condition, we all sorta assumed he'd come home. We even planned on it.

You can understand our shock.

Earnie was not my father. He will never replace the man that is my dad. However, in all the time I spent with him I would never say he wasn't like that same man I love so much. Everyone in his family from up north kept telling us thank you for taking care of him. Dad made sure we had a roof over our head, food in our bellies and a good place to lay our tired noggin. We didn't take care of Pop, Pop took care of us.

May you rest in peace, you grumpy old man. You were an ass, but a lovable one. You will be missed, remembered, cried over and never forgotten.

--Blade


	66. Chapter 66

**..Chapter Sixty-Six..**

**..**

**.**

**..**

_If I told you I've been cleanin' my soul_

_And If I promise you I'll regain control_

_Will you open your door_

_And let me in, take me for who I am_

_--Chris Daughtry, Sorry_

**..**

**.**

Seeing his face, albeit masked, standing there like her own personal salvation had seared her somewhere so deeply in her core she shook with fear, anguish, anger and confusion. It took her less than a second to stand, turn, leap over the railing of the gazebo and run like she was in danger of loosing her life; or in this case, her heart.

At first she didn't feel him come for her at all. Relief flooded her system. And it continued to race around her veins until she felt him fast on her heels. She should have expected that. Kakashi was never one to give up on anything he felt was worth fighting for. She wasn't going to kid herself about the 'worth' part though.

She didn't know what she was doing. She just knew the moment her eyes trailed up and met his instinct kicked in. It told her to move, go, run and be anywhere she could get to that was as far away from him as all possible. Which, when one considered certain factors, really made no sense. But when emotions drive the body and mind to do things they rarely ever do.

She was nearly to the tall wooden wall that surrounded the garden, leaping over plants and through sakura trees when she dropped to the ground and found herself face to face with him. He moved to speak, she could tell. But before he got one word out she was turning again and trying to run off. Again, he cut her path off.

His hands were raised, palms facing her as he took a slightly crouched position. His voice was tender and soft as he spoke. And this time, she allowed him to get a few words out even though her tight, tension ridden body was verging on running once more; like a cat ready to pounce to action.

"Please... don't go. I need to--wait!"

It took her all of three seconds to push chakra down into her feet and jump right over him. As she soon as she landed in a crouch a good distance away she was running off once more and closing in near another wall. Her breath hitched, her blood was like molten flame and her eyes burned while her lips quivered. She felt like a frightened animal and didn't know what to do. Every cell in her body told her to _run_. She just couldn't face him now, perhaps never. It all hurt too much. She'd been so strong for so long. For him. Because of her heart. Because of Eon. Because of happiness. How stupid could she have been? Some things in life were just too hard to achieve. Some things were just always going to be out of one's reach. She'd been happy for a time; those four wonderful years and the two she'd allowed herself to love him in. She couldn't ask Fate for much more. She just couldn't.

She felt arms wrapping about her waist, pulling her and trying to stop her. A hard chest was pressing into her back, dragging her into an embrace. She felt a breath fanning across her ear warmly. Despite all this she reacted on instinct. Her leg came up and she stamped into his foot, his precious toes bare and open to injury in his sandals. It was only a moment, but as his grip loosened in reaction to the pain and she tugged out of his hold moving next to bring her elbow back and into his lower stomach. This allowed her a bit of time to more than pull away from him. As she was doing so he reached for her wrist.

"Sakura--"

She was lost to her emotions, her pain and her anger. And as they fought with one another it grew and grew. She was frustrated, angry and at her limit. He'd brought her here. All she'd wanted was her own happy ending. Their happy ending.

She cut him off by sending a chakra inflamed fist towards his face. Years ago the same move would have been hard to land on him, so very hard. But she was at his level now. He was easily at hers. They were a match after all. All of their lives had somehow brought them to this place; the same place they'd given that promise to one another. It was the same place he'd mourned for her. The same place she'd painfully said goodbye to him, knowing the whole time what she had to do.

Did any of it matter anymore? They'd both suffered so much already.

He pulled his arms up, diverting her blow just barely. "Sakura," he tried to reason with her as he defended.

"Shut up," she finally muttered, twisting her body to kick at him. Not because she hated him but because hearing her name on his lips said that way made her ache more.

"I came to talk to you," he grunted out, growing irritated. He side stepped, avoiding her blow. He just kept dodging, not yet reacting.

"Quit it!" Her voice shouted and her eyes narrowed and she dipped down low, trying to kick his feet out from under him.

He jumped and flipped away. His eyes drew up to find her as he crouched. But as he did so, she was no where in sight. His single eye narrowed and he desperately searched for her chakra signature. However, she'd always been faster than him...

"Sakura," he sighed out, "please, I know you're angry with me. I--." But as he started to stand, feeling a flare of her signature he knew he was already too late. He felt a sharp pain to the base of his neck and then the front ball of her foot kicking powerfully to his lower back.

"Shut up!" Her voice cried out as she moved behind him just after he stared to speak. Her voice held and edge to it. Her tone was defensive, as if he were a chisel cracking away the armor of her pain. Like he was chipping away at wall with nothing but his voice.

He tumbled forward, feinting a roll. As she came at him, ready to deal some other blow and pulled back a step, crouching and swung his leg out painfully hard. She tripped over him, landing in the grass. As she rolled over he was moving to place himself on top of her. She sprung upward, using her legs to jerk up ward and stand.

Before she could act again he was shouting back, "Damnit, stop moving! I'm not here to fight you!"

She paused in a defensive position, her fists drawn up and near her face, inflamed in blue energy. Her chest rose and fell whilst she tried to control her breathing; whilst she tried to keep that wall up. The wall she'd unconsciously erected out of the stress her emotions had wrote all over her body.

"I lo--."

"Don't say it," she snapped harshly, some sense of logic winding it's way back into her brain; enough to speak at least. Her eyes shook and her jaw tightened painfully. It took everything in her to keep from breaking all over again. It had taken everything in her to get to this point. "Because..." she whispered, feeling like she was already losing her own battle, "when you do, I can't think straight. I'll get lost in your eyes all over again," she half chocked out without thinking. "And I know," she half strained, keeping the tears at bay, "I just know," her voice shook terribly, "if I let that happen again I'll kid myself into thinking..." Her voice trailed off. She laughed bitterly and a single tear fell while her body shook and her lips quivered. Her breath came out shaky. And when he took a step forward she half jumped and moved back until he wisely stopped. She could see the pain in his eyes and that made her hurt worse. "Do you know how hard this has been for me? Do you have any idea what it's been like for me for the past four years? This time, this age, four years ago you were simply my teacher, my mentor. Nothing else. I never even considered..."

There was so much he wanted to say. He knew all of this, he'd seen it all. But, he imaged if he didn't let her get it out, if he didn't remain silent for now and allow her to speak as she'd wanted to in the bathroom in Waterfall it would be the single biggest mistake of his life next to leaving her in the first place.

She shook her head, dropping her arms and then hugged herself as if cold. She looked down slightly, focusing on a flower bed near them both. "I never understood you. I hardly tried to. And it didn't bother me too much when you mostly ignored me... I was after all the least depressed and tormented of my team. Sasuke and Naruto needed you more...

"Then again, you didn't exactly ignore me, I suppose." She half smiled, her eyes growing lost in memories. She made a small noise, almost a laugh. It was a nice break in her painful mood. "You constantly had me educate the boys. I'm not sure if you did it because you had faith in me or simply because you were too lazy to do so yourself.

"You _were_ lazy. You were enigmatic, perverted, undependable, troublesome, annoying and..." she sighed, "You were my sensei. I never thought of you as handsome, beautiful or romantic. I usually just assumed you were a-sexual like Sasuke." She resisted the urge to chuckle at his raised brow.

"I never even thought of having a life with you, loving you. Why would I? You were my teacher. Most of the time you were a father when I wasn't around mine.

"When we went back, all those things, all those presumptions. Everything I knew and conjured up about you all... faded away. Suddenly," she said with awe in her voice, "I found myself looking at a boy. A troubled boy. He was someone who talked to me, who sought me out, who asked for my opinion and told me his secrets. He shared his pains with me and hid nothing. He... he loved me," she whispered the last as tears started to fall slowly, gracefully. "He was _nothing_ like the man I once knew.

"Do you.... do you know how hard that was for me to deal with? I never planned on..." She trailed on, trying to find words, "You would be fourteen years my senior, my teacher and in so many ways a stranger. And to top it all off, there was a big change you might not remember me at all once I returned. I had to leave you and that beautiful life I wanted. I... I had to pull, rip, myself from your embrace in the middle of the night all in the name of duty..!"

Her arms had already dropped to her side, her fists tight and knuckles white. She continued to fight tears. "Not that what people thought ever really bothered me... but, there was that to consider as well, just as you told me. You weren't merely over a decade older than me, but you had also spent a good portion of your life... watching me grow. Tending to me in the position of both a father and a mother. I asked myself... how could I do that to you? How could I let you go through the pain of having people scorn you?

"I lied to myself, I denied it for as long as I could. With every touch, every whisper, every look you gave me then... I grew weaker and weaker in the fight against myself..." She took in a deep breath, closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest while she resisted the urge to sniff.

"I took a chance because I had no other choice. Loving you, being with you and perhaps losing you, was better than never having had those precious moments with you at all. Coming back, seeing you as you were, what my absence had done to you..." The tension in her hands and arms slackened. "I don't think there's a word to describe the amount of pain I felt, the amount of guilt." She looked up at him, tears ridden eyes meeting his. "I'm... I'm sorry," she whispered as she allowed herself to cry completely. "I wanted to tell you... I just... I..."

In a flash he was right there, pulling her close and into his embrace. His arms curled around her; and as she shook, he shook with her. He closed his eyes as he felt tears pricking. One hand wound it's way into her short pink locks as he allowed her to bury her face in his chest and half into his neck.

"You... " she whispered into his neck as warm tears rained down her her cheeks, staining his flack vest and shirt. "Y-you--."

"Shh," he whispered, his voice shaking unexpectedly. He pulled her tighter, as if he might break her, as if he feared he'd never hold her again. He half stopped her because he wanted her to calm down, to stop hurting, to make it _right_. The other half because he didn't know if he could bear to hear anymore without breaking himself.

"I never planned on being your best friend. I never planned on being your partner. I never even imagined being your _equal_. And I still can't believe you would ever think me to be a better shinobi that you, much less a better leader. But most of all, I never once planned on falling in love with you. I didn't want to. I--."

He pulled down his mask swiftly. No longer bearing himself able enough to hear her speak anymore, he silenced her with a powerful, emotion driven kiss. He clung to her as though he were a man starved. He tried to convey all his apologies, all his feelings, all of his pain into that kiss and all that she meant to him. It had been over fifteen years since his lips had met hers. Over fifteen years since he'd held her like this, pressed against him. And as his own tears, clensingly, mixed with her own he felt as though he'd finally come home.

When he pulled away, needing air and a clear head more than anything else he pressed the side of his head against hers. His eyes remained closed as a long, quiet moment of perfect serenity passed between them both.

"I love you," he whispered. "I will _always_ love you. I never once cared where you came from, who you were or what you had done before that day in the Hokage office. It didn't matter. It _still_ doesn't matter.

"I was angry, stupid and... any number of words. However, I more than anyone else understand duty. I respect you for it. I fell for you because of your dedication, loyalty and passion to not only for the job... but to those you cared about most.

"Maybe you should have told me. Maybe you were wrong. Maybe you weren't," he spoke sternly, trying not to sound hoarse or reprimanding. "But I was wrong, too," he whispered softly. "Instead of forgiving you and allowing myself to be thankful that I had _finally_ found you... I hurt you, left you and nearly destroyed everything we ever had. I raped you in the worst way possible," he said as though he'd been burned as though he were disgusted with himself. He was.

He pulled away from her and dropped to his knees very suddenly. He reached for her again, pressing his cheek into her abdomen and tried to get his breathing under control. He ignored the shocked and confused expression that suddenly raced across her features. "I come to you, not merely as a friend, a mentor, a lover or a partner. I come to you," he breathed against her stomach, "As man who loves you. As man who begs for your forgiveness while forgiving you."

She was so off balance by his actions at first she wasn't quite sure how to react. In that adult form that so reminded her of the man who kept her so clearly at bay, for a moment, it was very hard to perceive him getting on his knees so humbly like that for anyone; even her. And what's more, she didn't think he should have to. Her crimes were equally as bad as far as she was concerned.

In reply to this she knelt as well and took his face in her hands. She smiled at him. "We always hurt the ones we love most, Crow. If the level of pain we've caused one another is any measure of how much we love one another... " she let it hang at that and slowly moved to kiss him just as he'd kissed her once before. They became a warm tangle of bodies under the gentle heat of the afternoon sun, doing nothing more than holding, caressing, kissing and relaxing into each others embrace in their own personal sanctuary.


	67. Chapter 67

**..Chapter Sixty-Seven..**

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Tsunade rubbed her temples with the vexation of a mother bear pulled from a long hibernation. A vein twitched above her left eyebrow as she assessed, no--glared--at the the man before her.

"Love, I didn't--."

She shot out of her comfortable leather chair and silenced him by throwing a paperweight at his head. "You didn't _what_?" She was all but roaring at him. Her voice practically shook the building as the silver, pyramid-shaped object sailed past his dodging head and lodged itself into the wall.

"Please, baby.."

"Don't you please baby me anything, you good for nothing lecher!" She was shouting and throwing her chair this time. Her face was red with anger. The half plastic, half leather piece crumbled against the cracking concrete wall. "That was _my_ ass and _my_ breasts you plastered all over the place!"

Jiraiya pouted slightly, trying to look humbling as held his hands open before him in a pleading position before her. "They weren't all over the place, hun. They were in--."

"A damned book! It might as well be plastered all over the place you imbecile!" She started throwing books, pens, files. The only thing safe on her desk from her own bottle of sake. When he continued to dodge her projectiles she began to stalk towards him. He backed up and she jabbed a finger painfully into his chest. "I might be your wife, but I am not your personal muse to show the world off to!"

"But she didn't look anything like you!"

"You changed the hair color and nothing else! People aren't stupid, Toad!"

He was about to continue trying to appease her when the door to her office suddenly flung open. There before them both was Rin along with Shizune and Genma half tripping over her.

Tsunade blinked in surprise. After a moment of confusion had passed her claws came back. "Does anyone know how to knock around here?! Anyone?! Kami, what do you people want?!" Nevermind it had been months since she'd seen either her apprentice or Genma.

Rin panted and half smiled despite her anger. "Tsunade-sama! Minato-sama orders your presence immediately in the main square!"

"_Why_?"

Rin looked over at Jiraiya, her big brownish-violet eyes full to the rim of joy. "You're needed as well, Sanin-sama! Everyone has been ordered there, even the civilians!"

"_Why_?" Tsunade was asking again.

"If you both don't hurry we're going to miss it," she replied, turning to leave out the door.

Tsunade growled. "What in the hell is going on?!"

Genma chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest as he toyed with a senbon in his mouth. His grin was a half smirk. "There's going to be a wedding," he answered her.

Jiraiya's brows rose at this. "And the runt is calling everyone to witness it? What the hell for? People get married all the time..."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "I will not be called out of my office on a busy day to witness two idiots make even larger fools of themselves with such a frivolous display of emotions," she snapped and turned on her heel. "Tell the Hokage to shove it."

Jiraiya glanced over at her. "Hey now... then just what do you call what we did?"

She turned swiftly and yelled out, "I was drunk and apparently a _moron_! I must have been to chain myself to someone who colors me into one of his disgusting poor excuses of a novel!"

"Will you two please hurry up," Rin muttered from the doorway, hands on her hips. "All of you? I'm not going to miss Kakashi and Sakura's wedding because none of you can get your ass in gear." She gave a grunt and walked off down the hall. Rin smiled.

"One... two.... three... four..."

The sound of wall crushing behind her along with some pretty fierce shouts echoed loudly. Rin chuckled behind her hand as she quickened her pace. She might have enjoyed getting the old bat back for running her ragged but she wasn't going to stick around to witness her tirade induced by shock or her rampant questions as to why no one had told her, much less asked her if it was ok for her pink hair apprentice to get married. And to Kakashi at that.

ooo

A curious blond brow upturned in the mass of people as pale features looked abashing curious while crystal blue eyes turned about gander in the general direction of the hospital. She supposed the shouldn't be too surprised at that. Tsunade must be pretty pissed after finding out about Jiraiya's little stunt. That, added in with the urgency the Hokage had pressed in calling everyone here for some sort of wedding must have made her temper worse.

Ino turned and stood up on tippy toes as she tried to see past the crowd. She could barely make out the two long rows of ANBU just beyond. They were quite a sight, standing across from one another and stiff as boards. Everyone one of them wore masks with remarkably clean and pressed uniforms; all of them held their swords with the tip against the ground, hands folded over the but of the hilt. Between the two rows was a good two foot space; a space she could only assume the happy couple would walk.

Just what in the hell was going on? Since when did ANBU attend a wedding like this? And so many at that? She'd never seen so many of them in one place before. She didn't even know Konoha had this many enlisted.

She huffed lightly and tried to get a better view.

"Need a hand?"

She turned swiftly, surprised. She half frowned. "Damnit, you two, don't sneak up on my like that!" She shouted at her two team mates.

Shikamaru raised a brow lazily and in a very bored manner as he replied, "Man, don't jump down our throats just because you're not paying attention to your surroundings." He idly scratched the back of his head.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms under her ample breasts. "As if I was bothering to pay any attention in this mess. How could anyone? I've never seen so many shinobi or civilians in one place. What the hell is going on, anyway?"

Choji was the one to offer her the information, his voice kind and obviously done so in an attempt not to piss her off further. He'd been doing that a lot lately and had no real idea why she was getting so mad at him. How did, 'You look nice.' get a reply like, 'I didn't look nice before?!'. "I hear there are two ANBU elites getting married today. It's fairly customary for some ANBU to show up like this, you know, out of respect or something. At my cousin's wedding there were ten or so. Gotta tell ya, never seen this many before." He blinked. "Do you think they just all showed up like this because Minato told everyone to be here?"

"Who cares.. Weddings suck. Too much work, even for the people going to them." Shikamaru wrinkled his nose. "At least we didn't have to dress up..."

Ino just rolled her eyes once more. She'd grown accustomed to his idle mutterings about everything being too hard, too much work or too trivial. He might be a genius, but he was still just a lazy, good for nothing turd as far as she was concerned.

She sighed, placing her hands on her hips and tried to once more see what was going on, if anything. However as she did, something came of the crowd suddenly out in her peripheral vision. She nearly jumped at the sight of Uchiha Obito. Her hand pressed against her chest as she tried to regain her composure. "Jesus fucking Christ, does everyone just have it in them to scare the shit out of me today?!"

Obito grinned. "Sorry, Ino-chan. But, it's urgent. Come with me," he said swiftly as he grabbed her wrist.

She blinked and tugged back on his hold. "Wait--what--_why_?"

"I'll tell you on the way."

"Um... ok..." She shrugged at her boys and waved goodbye. What in the hell was going on. Once again, she asked him as he wove in and out of the crowd. "Eh, Uchiha-san, what's going on? Has something gone wrong? Is someone hurt?"

"Hardly. You're the maid of honor. Sakura insisted on it. Gotta tell you though, it's not easy finding anyone in this crowd."

At that she jerked on him. _Hard_.

"_What_?"

ooo

"W-what?"

Sakura smiled nervously at him. It was adorable to see him blush and look a tad confused. He wasn't embarrassed, just surprised. Still, it was a moment she wish she could capture on camera. Seeing the infamous boy--no, man carry on a look like that washing across his features was too much.

She took both of his hands in her own, gripping them tightly. She smiled more reassuringly. Her voice was kind, humble and pleading. "I'd ask my dad, but he's not here. Both him and mom are on some extended vacation trip in Lightening Country. Please, Sasuke. Honestly, I love my dad, but I'm kinda glad he's not here..." She let out a slow breath. "I can't see anyone else giving me away but you."

"Why?" He knew they were close. The word itself was an understatement. But he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He didn't want to tell her no. Instead, he asked her why. Maybe knowing would help elevate the weird feeling in his gut.

"Because... you know... well," she sighed and looked away over at Minato and Naruto arguing with Tsunade under the small, enclose tent in the square that had taken little time to erect. Kushina was wringing her hands and trying not to show her concern. It was getting loud over there. And she hoped Minato's good speaking skills would help temper her shishou's obvious upset over not being informed about _everything_.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes turned back to him and met his questioning, vulnerable gaze. It wasn't hard to find the words, but it wasn't easy to say them either. This was Sasuke after all. Even if he wasn't the love of her life anymore talking to him about something like this made her feel just as off.

"You know what we have isn't the same as what you or I have with Naruto... don't you?"

He sighed. "I suppose... It's rather unspoken though."

She nodded. "You were my first love Sasuke. Some small part of me will always love you. Don't read too deeply into it. I'm not trying to confuse you. I just want you to know that.

"We've been through so much together. There's a lot I can share with you I could never share with Naruto or even Kakashi. And I did miss you when you left... it took me a long time to get over you. I didn't... I didn't want to be that girl anymore. You understand that, right?"

"I do."

She nodded and again and briefly squeezed his hands joined in her own. "You've always been Mr. Mysterious. You've been through a lot. It took me a long time to understand that and realize I just can't be the girl to heal those wounds. In a way... when you came back... you and I held something together. We were close enough... we are close enough... enough without touching... you know?"

She sighed. The more she spoke the more she felt like she was saying things she shouldn't. "You filled a place for me for a while that I needed filled because I didn't know where I stood with Kakashi. Perhaps a place you shouldn't have filled. I don't want to rob you of having what I have with him. I want you to find happiness, Sasuke. Even if it's not with me."

He sighed again, this time smiling weakly. His eyes narrowed and softened as he reached up and grazed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. "Was I that obvious?"

"No, I was just that observant," she replied, smiling weakly as well. "That and I overheard some gossip about you slamming Kakashi in the bar at Yin's... certain words said..."

He chuckled and nodded. "There'll never be another you, hun. I once regretted not seeing it sooner."

"Maybe not another me. But there will be someone for you. Don't end up like our old Kakashi did. You're so much like him, you know."

"Still, this doesn't explain why you want me to be the one to walk you down the isle. Why not Naruto?"

"It's because you were my first love, Sasuke. It's because you were what I needed without giving too much. You're so very noble. Even Kakashi doesn't have that on you. As you've aged I've watched you grow from a troubled, angry, vengeful young man... into this reserved, classy, gentlemanly... " She shook her head she trailed off. "I can't even explain what you are to me, even now. We're not friends, we're not lovers, but you still understand me in a way no one else ever will.. And I think for us both to move on I need you to be the one to do this for me. Can you be there for me? Can you allow yourself to be needed by me one last time?"

As he looked down into her perfect, endless depths of emerald green he realized he couldn't refuse her. Even after this was all over, he never would be able to. Anytime she called him, asked anything of him, he would do it. Still, he needed his final words. Even if it meant saying too much.

"You know how you said Kakashi made us into the people we are today, Sakura? How he said you made him into the man who made you into the woman you are now?"

She nodded, eyes narrowing much like his own had moments ago; curious and questioning.

He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers. Not in a romantic way, but in a purely friendly, close way; in a way only they would share. "In all the time I was gone, away from Konoha, in all the time we spent in that time for four years... you helped me become a better man. I'm not indebting you. I'm not asking you for anything. I never would. But know, that if it weren't for you... I'd still in some small way, be that same boy." He smiled genuinely. "You might say I'm noble, but your grace made me that way."

She wasn't sure what to say as she embraced him in a loving hug. She sighed shakily. "I love you, you bastard. But that had better be your way of telling me yes."

He laughed as he wrapped his arms about her waist. "I'd fear for my life if I told you no."

"Sakura!"

Both of them broke apart as Minato, Tsunade and Naruto approached them. It was Minato who addressed her. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, grinning.

"Oh, my god! You can't be serious?! You're getting married like _that_?"

Sakura's head whipped around as a familiar female voice entered the tent. She arched a brow at Ino. "Actually, no."

"Oh, good--."

"I'm getting married in my ANBU uniform." The gaping look on her best friend's face was almost enough to make her burst with laughter. As children they'd always said, before Sasuke, how they'd both have the perfect white wedding. "Don't look at me like that. I'll need help. Your help."

"You're..." Ino sighed and slapped her hand onto her face. "Nevermind. I guess I shouldn't be too shocked considering who your marrying." She removed her hand, her lips a tight line as she grabbed her wrist and tugged her off. "Come on. I want details while I do my magic."

Too bad Ino didn't know just how _many_ details there were....


	68. Chapter 68

**..Chapter Sixty-Eight..**

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When Sakura stepped out of the tent, Ino beaming at her like a mad woman, she felt as though she'd finally come home. This was it, was the thought which raced across her mind.

She'd spent countless years trying to convince herself this was all wrong, it wasn't right for her. She allowed herself to remain by his side, to join ANBU with him, to become everything she wanted to be because of him. The whole time, denying herself that it was him at all. Yet, it was. Her body, her heart, everything, all that was her had accepted what he was to her long before she admitted it to herself.

She carried no flowers, she wore no veil and she was not swathed in a gown of pristine white as she walked past the crowd of people and towards the long dual lines of ANBU shinobi. And as she stood, poise, before the long walk that would make her his wife, she was surprised to find he was not there waiting for her at the end.

Her eyes narrowed and her looked around.

Had Kakashi changed his mind? After all this? After all the torment, tears, blood and sweat they both shed together and apart? No... her mind whispered as her heart slowly began to break.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and swiftly looked left through the slits of her mask. Her heart stopped racing and her mind stopped coming up with analytical reasons as soon as she saw that mask.

"Kakashi?" she whispered, suddenly confused as she realized he was in the long line of ANBU.

"Minato-sensei wanted to make an announcement, Sakura," he whispered. "Just wait."

"An announcement..?" Her head turned and she looked down the line of ANBU towards Minato. She blinked as he smiled at her.

"Can I have silence, please?" the Hokage asked the crowd as he waved his hands outward.

It took a few moments, a few unsettled whispers, but after about a minute, there was silence in the village.

"Thank you," he called out loudly with a smile. "Now that I have your attention... I'd like to address that many of you are confused as to why I asked you all here. Some of you want to know why so many ANBU are stationed in two long rows. Well," he drawled out, pausing for effect, "what you see before you is a tradition that had been in long standing since the origination of ANBU as a unit into our village. It is customary for several, if not all of them, to show up when one of their own marries." He half smiled a murmurs rose up from the crowd.

He held his hands up again, indicating silence. "But a wedding is not the reason I have called you all here today," he explained. "Will Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto please step forward and present yourselves to me?"

More murmurs rose up from the crowd as her two team mates made their way to her side.

Sakura took off her mask and looked between the two confused faces to either side of her.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked first.

"I'm not too sure," Sakura replied, eyes drawing towards Minato.

Sasuke said nothing but indicated they should move forward.

As all three began to walk, one by one, in a systematic fashion as the three passed, the long line of ANBU began to kneel; one hand gripped around the hilt of their sword as the tip rested against the ground.

"Why are they kneeling?" Sakura hissed to Sasuke.

"I don't know," he muttered back as he watched.

Sakura had no idea what was going on, but she was far more nervous than she had been about five minutes ago. A wedding was bad enough, what with cold feet daring to trip you up. But this? What was up Minato's sleeve this time?

She looked up at the small, stairway laden stage Minato stood upon until her eyes reached his. He was smiling, but for the life of her she didn't know why. Then he winked at her. It was an action that got her and her two team mates raising their brows.

"Turn around, you three," he murmured. Once team seven did as he requested he gave a short nod and returned his attention to the crowd. He placed his hands behind his back and began speaking once more.

"Years before I could even walk, and long before I ever became a shinobi or attended the Academy... Three local ninja became legends.

"They fought against a man twice their size and equally just a powerful. He was called Hanzo and hailed from the Rain village. They were called Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru and as we all very well know, they hailed from Leaf.

"As a reward for their victory, Hanzo dubbed the trio the Sanin. He told them the only way he would allow them peace is if they accepted this title from there on out." Minato briefly looked down at the group before one again addressing the crowd.

"Today, we bear witness to a similar group. They fought against impossible odds, defeated impossible foes, and returned to our village. Their story is not one which can be written into the history books for years to come. But, one day, when your grandchildren are young," he paused, grinning at what he was to say next, "they will read of the legendary group known as The Trinity of Konoha. They will spin tales and mimic what they have been told while they play.

"Know that, while their deeds, their duty, what they have given us might not been known for several generations, you are all to give them the same respect you so give the Sanin. People of Konoha," he said loudly while indicating to the three a few steps below him, "I give you your Trinity!"

Shouts Sakura was not expecting, came out from all corners, all areas. Some people smiled, others looked confused, some appeared to ask questions to their friend about what it could be that she, Sasuke and Naruto had done that had remain secretive.

She was overwhelmed, but happy all the same. She surprised Minato had done this. He knew how important it was for the time, that way they had done not become public knowledge; yet... he was going to give them a title, one that they were entitled to receive one day if Madara's predictions were true.

She couldn't help but grin as Naruto soaked the attention up. He laughed, smiled and wove out into the crowds. She felt a nudge next to her and looked over at Sasuke, who was smirking.

"He's such an idiot," the Uchiha muttered.

Sakura kept grinning as she nudged him back and winked. "Ah, yes, but he's _our_ idiot."

Sasuke chuckled and she laughed with him. She would have liked to stand there all day long with him as they both soaked up the attention, acting as though they weren't. However... there was still one more thing to do...

Oh yeah... a wedding.

ooo

"Do you, Haruno Sakura, take Hatake Kakashi to be your lawfully wedded husband? To protect, to nurture, to love, through sickness and in health, through good times and bad? Do you promise to be with him always, stand with him in all that he does, and do you vow to treat him as equally as you yourself wish to be treated equally?"

Sakura, through the slits in her mask, smiled as she looked from Minato to Kakashi and squeezed his hand. "I vow all you have spoken, Hokage-sama."

Minato turned to Kakashi, smiling softly. "Do you, Hatake Kakashi, take Haruno Sakura to be your lawfully wedded wife? To protect, to nurture, to love, through sickness and in health, through good times and bad? Do you promise to be with her always, stand with her in all that she does, and do you vow to treat her as equally as you yourself wish to be treated equally?"

He too looked over at Sakura, smiling as he looked at her through the slits in his mask. He squeezed back. "I vow all you have spoken, Hokage-sama."

"Then, by the power vested in me, as Hokage and as witness to these services, I now pronounce you husband... and wife." He gestured to the both. "You may now kiss."

Turning to one another and pulling their masks up to set atop their heads, Kakashi and Sakura reached for one another. They embraced and at the moment their lips touched, a shout shot up from the crowd.

-The End-

...or is it?

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

?

Sasuke watched as the crowds disbursed, as the ANBU left one by one and as Sakura and Kakashi flitted out of sight to be alone with one another over the rooftops of Konoha. And he suddenly...

...felt alone.

Naruto had long left with a group of friends to later meet with the married couple at Yin's to celebrate. He'd been invited to go, expressed that he would join them later, but for now... he enjoyed the silence and the solitude.

Still... at the back or his mind and within the beating of his chest... he ached. Watching Sakura today... watching her get married and giving her away... had torn through him. Not because he loved her as he once did, but because he envied her.

Silence... was so deafening.

It was almost like watching a newly painted canvas as someone splashed water onto it's surface, the colors fading away and trickling down to leave a blank slate.

"Tabula Rasa..." he heard someone say.

He turned to looked as a familiar old man no taller than to his mid thigh came into view. He smiled up at Sasuke. "It means blank slate in Latin... didn't you know?"

Sasuke sighed. "What do you want, Eon?"

Eon grinned in that telltale way he always did. "I have another mission for you."

Sasuke arched a brow. "Again?" He pursed his lips. "What about Sakura and Naruto?"

Eon shook his head. "Just you, Sasuke... this is about your future... not theirs."

-Ok, seriously... THE END!-


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